Your resume is often the first and only impression employers get of you prior to the initial interview. It’s the deciding factor in whether or not you receive an interview for the position. It’s the best way to stand out.
That’s also why lying on a resume might be tempting to some job seekers thinking about embellishing their experience to appeal to what recruiters want to see.
However, lying on your resume can cause serious repercussions that may have a lasting effect on your career—not just with that employer, but with others. Word can spread about applicants who aren’t being honest. You want to stand out to recruiters, but only in the right ways.
“Ensuring everything is accurate and true to your experience is crucial,” says Clair Levy, a Certified Resume Writer for Precision Resume Solutions.
In some cases, this embellishment is innocent. You may not remember exactly which month you started at a job you had a decade ago, or the exact amount by which you increased sales. If you are unsure about something, it doesn’t belong on your resume.
Why do people lie on their resume?
People lie on their resumes due to fierce competition in the job market. This pressures candidates to exaggerate their qualifications to seem more competitive. Even entry-level roles often need experience of some kind.
Some believe everyone is lying. So, they feel they must deceive to level the playing field.
These lies may provide a temporary increase in a candidate’s chances. But, they often carry long-term risks. Most lies are uncovered in interviews, reference checks, or background screenings.
- Inflated job titles
- Exaggerated responsibilities
- Falsified education
- Extended employment dates
- Fake certifications or licenses
- Misrepresented skills
- False achievements
- Faking work experience
- False volunteer work
- Lying about salary history
10 common resume lies to avoid
Below are the 10 most common resume lies that can jeopardize your job search. We’ve also included ways to avoid these lies so that you can conduct your job search and show up to interviews with confidence.
1. Listing inaccurate educational background
Competing with a well-educated workforce can be difficult, especially if you have no higher education. It’s for this reason that some job seekers opt to add untrue statements to the education section of their resume.
This can include anything from listing extra credits or semesters completed to universities the applicant didn’t actually attend. Some even change their major on their resume to better fit the position to which they are applying.
The reality is that checking up on someone’s education is remarkably easy now, and par for the course for most human resources departments. If someone is caught fibbing on their resume, the result can include termination and even being automatically denied a chance at another position.
If you feel like you must exaggerate your level of education to be considered for a job, chances are that you are targeting the wrong job.
2. Adding technical skills you don’t have
Having relevant technical skills makes you a desirable candidate for a job, but once you come to work the first day, it’s up to you to back up anything you boast in your resume.
In many cases, the interview will test your level of knowledge in a specific technical field. A developer might be asked to write or fix a block of code, a writer may be given a small writing assignment, etc.
Coming into an interview based on having a certain set of skills, and not being able to perform them during the interview, can prevent you from landing or keeping the job.
In many cases, technical know-how can be taught on the job, and employers are flexible with this as long as the applicant is honest about their level of experience going into it.
You can teach technical skills, but you can’t teach honesty.
Using free tools like Jobscan’s Resume Scanner (seen below) is the best way to immediately check if you have listed all of the right skills that you need. It’s easy…just upload your resume and job description, and you’ll have results in seconds.
Then, you can easily convert your resume so that it is in an ATS-friendly format by using the Power Edit tool. You can see all the skills required for the role, and then add the tailored bullet points with a few clicks using the Resume Bullet Point Generator.
Why is this so important? Over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS to simplify their hiring process and sort through resumes quickly and efficiently. Just make sure those skills you add when updating your resume are true!
3. Creating inaccurate employment dates
It can be difficult to remember exactly when you started or left a place of employment, especially years after the fact. That said, it’s better to be vague than inaccurate when it comes to work experience.
Detailed employment dates are important to include on your resume, but if you can’t recall the exact month you started job, you may be better off listing just the year. This also means never altering the dates to shorten any gaps in employment you might think look bad to a recruiter.
“There’s no need to hide the gaps; just be honest,” says Madelyn Mackie, CEO & Chief Career Activator of Madelyn Mackie & Associates. “You might even get the chance to share your story in your next interview.”
Alternatively, you may have the option to call your previous employer to confirm your precise employment dates. This is exactly what a responsible employer would do prior to hiring someone.
Read more: How To Format Dates On A Resume: A Complete Guide
4. Overblowing your salary history
It’s best to leave information about your previous salaries off your resume. However, some employers do occasionally ask for your salary history in an interview. Like your employment dates, this information can be confirmed with a phone call, and inaccuracies here are taken as signs of dishonesty.
This is especially true if you overstate the salary, as it would be seen as a trick to receive a higher offer.
“The key to effective salary negotiation is preparation, confidence, and a touch of finesse (because nobody likes a bull in a china shop),” says Claire Levy.
5. Name-dropping
If you claim to have worked with a famous name or big brand in a previous position, you should be ready to have that claim tested. You never know who your potential employer might know.
Should your claim be tested and found inaccurate, you may lose your reputation with more than just the company you’re applying to. Name-dropping is okay…but only if it’s true.
6. Faking language skills you don’t have
Having a grasp of multiple languages looks great on a resume. For an employer, it equates to a useful tool in the event that someone is needed who speaks that language.
However, this can blow up in your face if you boast fluency in another language you aren’t actually fluent in. You never know when or under what circumstances you might be called on to open dialogue with someone in their native language.
7. Making up responsibilities
It’s customary to list some of your key responsibilities at previous jobs in your resume. This can help the reader learn more about your experience and gain an understanding of whether you are capable of handling the role they are looking to fill.
However, your responsibilities at previous places of employment can be confirmed. If you say you led a team when you didn’t, or that you were in charge of social media management when you weren’t, those lines in your resume can come back to haunt you.
8. Creating new job titles
Applying for a job as a sales manager, but the last position you had was as a sales associate? You may have filled in for the sales manager at your last job, but if you weren’t actually a sales manager, don’t list it as your title.
One of the main questions employers ask during the background check, or when talking to your job references, is the position you held at the company. This question will be asked, so there’s no point in lying about it on your resume.
9. Exaggerating volunteer activities
Volunteer work is a great addition to a resume. It offers insight into your character, and can allow you to show off additional skills or fill in where employment gaps might leave your resume a little light.
However, volunteer work is confirmable. Someone at the office might volunteer for that organization themselves, and many (if not most) volunteer organizations keep records for their own legal reasons. Don’t exaggerate your contributions to any organization or effort—paid or not.
10. Misrepresenting certifications and other titles
Listing inaccurate certifications might help you get a job, but in the long run, it can do more damage than good. If you do get the job false pretences like this, you actually run the risk of getting your future employer sued for liability if they present you as having a specific certification or title when, in fact, you don’t have anything legitimate to back it up.
Accrediting agencies keep detailed records of people who receive legally recognized titles from accredited sources. If your name isn’t on these lists, then you will run into some problems during a background check.
The easiest way to get around this? Go out and get the actual certification!
“Many certifications are designed to provide specific skills required for success in a particular role, and they are often less time-consuming and less expensive than pursuing another degree,” said Suzanne Berger at Fresh Perspectives Career Consulting.
When it comes to resumes, honesty is the best policy. It’s better to leave out details than to give false or embellished statements. Even if your lies land you a job, false statements can put your career at risk.
Is lying on your resume illegal?
Lying on a resume is not illegal, but it can have serious consequences if it involves falsifying official documents.
For example, forging degrees or references could lead to fraud charges. That’s why employers often ask candidates to copy their resumes onto official apps. Any inaccuracies could violate labor laws.
Also, lies in background checks can cause immediate termination and damage your reputation. This makes it harder to get future jobs. Employers often use tools like background checks and AI scanners to verify claims. These tools often catch dishonesty.
Some industries, like finance and healthcare, have stricter rules. They make some misrepresentations criminal offenses. Lying may not break the law, but it can hurt your career or worse.
How employers verify resume information
Employers most often verify a resume via a background check. This includes checking with past employers to verify job titles, dates, and duties. Also, they can cross-reference resumes with LinkedIn profiles or portfolios. Background checks confirm employment, criminal records, and more.
AI is also making major strides. It’s speeding up verifications and finding errors in large datasets. It can check on education, work history, and references in seconds. This reduces errors and speeds up results. These technologies, along with traditional methods, help employers.
FAQ
Yes. While lying on your resume isn’t always illegal, it can have serious consequences. Employers may fire you if they find any lies. Some lies, like forgery, can lead to legal action. Dishonesty can also damage your reputation, making it harder to find future opportunities.
Common lies include exaggerating job titles, responsibilities, or skills. Many candidates also inflate job dates to cover gaps. Some claim degrees they didn’t earn. Surveys show that job experience and technical skills are the most frequently embellished areas.
Yes. Employers can fire an employee if they used false info to hire them. Even minor lies can break trust, potentially halting career growth or resulting in dismissal.
People often lie to seem more qualified, cover gaps, or meet job requirements. Others embellish to gain an edge in competitive markets. However, these short-term advantages can lead to long-term professional harm.
Lying includes providing false information about education, skills, employment dates, or certifications. Omissions, like failing to disclose past employment issues, can also count as dishonesty. Fabricating references or achievements is another common violation.
Not inherently. But, falsifying official documents, like degrees, can be fraud. It can lead to prosecution. If lies are transferred to official job applications, they can become a legal issue. Regardless, lying is unethical and risks professional repercussions.
Yes, you should still apply. Companies often list ideal qualifications, but hiring decisions prioritize capability over exact requirements. Show your transferable skills and eagerness to learn. Don’t misrepresent your background.
Ethical advice discourages lying altogether. But, those who exaggerate often add hard-to-verify details. This includes emphasizing certain roles or responsibilities. Even so, this approach carries risks. A better strategy is to tailor your resume truthfully and highlight relevant accomplishments.
