Looking for a job is in itself a work and if you’re starting to look for one, you should remember that a strong application comes from a stronger resume. But when it comes to putting together your resume, there’s one thing that you should never do – lie. Even white lies, such as slightly exaggerating some of your skills or work experiences, are not a good idea. It’s understandable that you might be tempted to do this on occasion, especially if you’ve been on the search for a job for months and are beginning to become desperate. But the consequences of doing so are too great.
The problem with embellishing your resume is that it is much easier for potential employers to find out whether or not you are lying in this day and age. Individuals who choose to lie on their resumes do so mostly in the education, employment dates, job titles or skill sections of their resume. Potential employers can easily dial up one of your references to double check the factual legitimacy of your resume. In fact, all of these sections of your resume can be double-checked. Employers can even do searches on the Internet for factual verification. If you want to make it easier, you can also upload your resume to linkedin. This doesn’t mean that they will. Most resumes in entry-level positions aren’t examined as closely as resumes for positions higher up in the company hierarchy. But the risk of getting caught simply isn’t worth it.
First of all, if you falsify information on your resume and you’re caught during the application process, your reputation is immediately tainted within that company. If you were turned down because you weren’t right for the job, there’s always a chance that you may obtain employment further down the line. That’s no longer the case if you were disqualified for lying on your resume. You’ll never be able to obtain employment with that company. In fact, your reputation could spread to other companies. For example, the person who interviewed you may move on to a different company. If that person remembers you, then you won’t have a chance of finding employment at that company either. In addition to damaging your reputation, you may even find yourself in a heap of trouble even if you get away with it.
What happens when you lie about your skill set in order to get the job? They are going to expect you to have those skills and to be able to use them if needed. If they find out that you misrepresented yourself on your resume in order to get the job, you can be immediately dismissed from your position.
It’s easy to lie on your resume when you are unsure of how to fill out a section. The following are a few solutions to the sections that many job hunters end up lying on:
- Resume gaps – More people than you realize have gaps of time between paid employment. Take a look at Don’t lie about your employment dates to fill those gaps. Just because you weren’t working doesn’t mean you weren’t being productive. Explain what you were doing during those gaps, whether it was working on your own projects, volunteering, taking classes or anything else.
- Job titles – If you’ve taken on added responsibilities that go beyond the title you were given, don’t give yourself a new title. Keep the title you were officially given and just explain on your resume that you had added responsibilities and duties.
- Skills – If you feel the need to lie about having specific skills to make your resume look great, then it also means you need to actually obtain those skills. Instead of lying about having them – go out and get them by enrolling in a class. Employers will be impressed that you are taking an incentive to improve yourself.
Lying on your resume is something that is relatively easy to do. But the consequences of doing so are too great. Not to mention that you probably won’t feel too great about obtaining a job because you lied on your resume. It would be better to include all the is true. Answering interview questions would be much easier if you have a resume that reflects what you’re saying.
