The consequences of lying on your resume are dire. Don’t do it.
You’re updating your resume, and you realize you don’t quite match the requirements on the job description for your Dream Job. What do you do?
According to this infographic courtesy Cierra Ford at Backgroundchecks.org, more than half of jobseekers would embellish their skillsets or responsibilities.
Let me be clear: LYING ON YOUR RESUME IS A REALLY BAD IDEA.
And by the way, embellishment is lying. So is stretching the truth. So is fudging the numbers. So is taking credit for someone else’s work.
For the pragmatists, the infographic goes on to show that 5 top industries are likely to report the resume lies they catch. Almost half of the HR professionals surveyed said they increased the amount of time spent checking references in the past 3 years.
For those who believe a little fib on a resume doesn’t hurt anyone, read this article on the legal consequences of resume falsehoods.
It also doesn’t matter where you are in your career. This article on what happened to some senior executives who lied on their resumes may help your decision, as well.
For those who want an employer to treat them honestly and fairly, know that the effort starts with you. You must be the type of employee that fits the company you want to work for, not fool them into thinking you’re that employee, not lie to look like that employee, and not fake it to seem like that employee.
So, back to that resume you were updating: Tell the truth.
September is Update Your Resume Month. If you’re having trouble with your resume, contact me right away to talk about what’s going on. (You might want to take a look at the testimonial page on my web site, too, to see how others have profited.)
Image courtesy Stuart Miles via freedigitalphotos.net.
