Does your résumé include a little fiction? An exaggeration or two? What about an outright lie? According to a survey of 1,000 job seekers by the online résumé builder Resume Genius, nearly half of job seekers have lied or thought about lying on their résumés.
The report reveals that the most common fib is covering up career gaps, followed by inflating job titles and fudging employment dates. Gen Z candidates are most likely to lie, which makes sense since they typically have a more sparse employment history. And men are one and a half times more likely to lie than women, especially when it comes to job titles.
Lies come in different forms, says Victoria Potapenko, senior recruiter for the job site Jooble. “If we talk about false information regarding names, workplaces, education, or academic degrees, this is, of course, critical,” she says. “It is a completely different matter if this lie concerns responsibilities, knowledge, or achievements. In my opinion, such lies cannot be uncovered solely based on a résumé without in-person communication.”
What to Look For
If you’re hiring, some red flags could mean a résumé isn’t entirely factual. Nathan Soto, career expert at Resume Genius, suggests looking for embellished responsibilities and results.
