Writing a good resume can help you stand out from the crowd and will generate more attention than a thrown-together version, hoping that it catches the interests of any employer. It would help if you had a strong resume, and when competition for higher-paying jobs and benefits becomes tough, some candidates embellish their backgrounds.
Being dishonest with your skills and experience is never a good decision, regardless of the benefits package or the competition in the job market. Job candidates commonly exaggerate the scope of their role or change employment dates to cover up gaps.
A question received from a job candidate described the dilemma they found themselves in when they admitted to embellishing their role and responsibilities on their resume. The concern was making corrections to their resume without raising a red flag and sending a negative perception. Unbeknownst to the interviewer, they were contacted and invited to an interview without the employer knowing their information needed to be more accurate.
Unfortunately, their situation is a common daily scenario played out across the job market. A Career Builder survey reported that 3 out of 4 human resource managers (75 percent) had caught a lie on a resume. The need to quickly capture attention from employers is supported by an eye-tracking study that confirms you have 7.4 seconds to keep a recruiter’s interest. With the pressure to grab attention and the desire to work at play, the temptation to be selected for an interview often clouds good judgment.
If you are thinking about exaggerating your titles or changing employment dates to help you get an interview, you could be far from the truth. While you may get attention from an employer, just like the candidate mentioned above, chances are you will get caught, and the impression you leave with the employer will, at best, minimize your chances of being hired.
Exaggerating the truth is a career lesson worth keeping, even though it can be embarrassing and painful. Being self-aware and taking ownership can help you take a wrong decision and make it right by considering a few suggestions.
First, even though it is humbling to admit dishonesty, it is a good sign that you are willing to fess up and make things right. Trust concerns serve as big red flags for employers, given that dishonesty is prevalent among job candidates. While the percentage of hiring managers is high on catching dishonest job candidates, some might accept your acknowledgment of a wrong decision and give you a second chance.
There is no easy solution when you are faced with a resume that misrepresents your background. However, there are a couple of options to explore: updating your resume with the correct titles and employment dates and being prepared to explain the corrected dates to human resources or the hiring manager when being considered for an interview.
Titles vary by company, and if you have a unique title, you could translate it into one more readily understood. However, be ready to clarify why you changed it and your responsibilities. On the other hand, employment dates are set in stone and can be verified in several ways. Even if your previous employer went out of business, the dates could still be checked using social media.
If dishonesty on a resume does take place, it is more likely to happen in four areas; the most common are education, employment dates, job titles, and technical skills. Employers know this as well and are prepared with a few background checks to verify your information.
Another option is to be upfront with the hiring manager about your titles and dates of employment. Taking an offensive approach is better than being on the defensive side. It could be that the manager understands and appreciates your forthcoming now versus later when you are interviewing.
You could withdraw from the opportunity without having to explain. However, the lesson learned could be a powerful reminder that when you are tempted to start falsifying information, it never works in your favor.
As a hiring manager, how would you describe dishonesty among job candidates? How do you catch embellishment on a resume?