Lying on a Resume and Job Application: Can You?
Dishonesty from candidates in the hiring process is not uncommon. In a recent ResumeTemplates.com survey, 71% of job seekers indicated they cheated or lied somehow during the process, with 22% lying on their resumes, 50% providing false references, and 22% cheating on assessment tests.
However, “everyone does it” isn’t the type of excuse likely to win you points with an employer, and there are some serious potential consequences of lying on a resume.
What Constitutes Lying on a Resume?
Lying on your resume can range from outright lies to exaggerations. In addition to listing positions you didn’t hold or companies you never worked for, resume dishonesty can include:
- Falsifying degrees. If you don’t hold the diploma, don’t list the degree. Even if you’re three credit hours short and you “basically” have the degree, it’s not worth lying on your resume to claim you do.
- Inflating job titles. Avoid clever wordplay to make a job sound more important than it is. For example, if you were a team lead in an accounting department, don’t call yourself the accounting manager.
- Fabricating skills. Be transparent and honest about your skills. Knowing how to insert HTML code to create a bold font and subheading structures doesn’t mean you have website development skills, for instance.
- Exaggerating your impact. Find ways to showcase your accomplishments without overstating what you did for past employers. If you were part of a team of 10 salespeople who set a record of $1 million in sales last year, that’s a great accomplishment. Just don’t imply you set the record on your own.
The Potential Consequences of Lying
Immediate impacts
You might lose the opportunity if you’re caught lying on a job application or your resume. The employer may not invite you to interview rounds further if the falsehood is discovered early. If your lie is found during a background check, the employer may rescind any job offer you received.
Even if you’re hired, you could be fired if it’s discovered after the fact that you lied on your resume. That’s true even if you are doing a good job and have a proven, inaccurate resume aside, you are fit for the position.
Long-term professional repercussions
Lies on resumes can come back to haunt you, as former Walmart chief spokesperson David Tovar learned. On his resume, he claimed a degree he didn’t have. It was discovered almost 20 years later when Tovar was up for a promotion to senior VP. Tovar didn’t get the promotion; in fact, he lost his job and had a big hit on his professional reputation.
Ethical considerations
The National Association of Colleges and Employers says that principles for ethical professional practice are essential, including in career development. Ethical resume writing helps you demonstrate that you are a person of integrity that employers and others can rely on.
Lying on your resume can have the opposite effect. It may be that an employer would be willing to overlook that you didn’t have a specific skill or degree, but they’re less likely to overlook unethical behavior. After all, if you’re willing to lie on your resume to get a job, you might engage in unethical behavior to earn a promotion or bonus, help your team or company get ahead, or avoid the negative ramifications of poor performance on the job.
Legal Ramifications
In some cases, resume fraud may have legal consequences, especially in highly regulated industries like health care or finance. The television show “Suits” demonstrates this, albeit in a fictional context, when the character Mike Ross gets a job as a lawyer by claiming he has a law degree and license. Like Ross, real-world professionals who commit resume fraud can face jail time, fines, loss of licenses or license potential, and other civil and criminal consequences.
Alternatives to Lying
You don’t have to rely on your resume to make yourself more attractive to employers. Instead, do the work to enhance your resume ethically and honestly.
Enhancing your qualifications
Consider the type of job you want and seek the qualifications that may help you land it. This might include returning to school for a degree or getting a certification demonstrating your knowledge and skills.
Focusing on transferable skills
Instead of making up skills, think about leveraging your existing skills to impress a potential employer. For example, if you have customer service experience, you may have developed strong communication and solution-finding skills. Consider how you can present those on your resume in a manner that makes you a compelling candidate for a role you want, such as a project management position.
Honest self-promotion
Hold yourself accountable when highlighting accomplishments on your resume. Backing your claims with metrics whenever possible is a great way to interest employers without exaggerating your impact.
Recovering from a Resume Lie
If you have lied on your resume — or you realize you inadvertently caused an employer to believe you have skills or qualifications you don’t — coming clean as early as possible is generally best. Employers may appreciate that you decided to be honest, especially if you demonstrate your value to the organization and show that you are willing to make things right.
In cases where you may face legal consequences due to a lie on your resume, you should consult an attorney before you take further action.
How Resumetemplates.com Can Help
Building a truthful yet compelling resume
Use resources like our universal resume template to create professional resume documents that stand out without exaggerating qualifications or including other falsehoods. When writing your resume, follow best practices such as including action verbs to create honest but compelling narratives about your background.
Career development resources
Think about ways to invest in career development through the resume and job search process. You might work on using AI to help with your job hunt or learn how to write your first resume.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lying on Your Resume
While surveys indicate that many people have lied on resumes, this is not expected professional behavior. Employers typically expect candidates to be honest throughout the hiring process.
Employers have varying processes for verifying a candidate's employment history before finalizing any job offer. Some call your previous employers to find out if you worked for the companies you listed, and some may ask specific questions about your work performance or attendance.
You can present information about your previous jobs in the most favorable light in interviews, but it's best not to lie outright. You may want to avoid the topic entirely unless you are directly asked if you were fired or quit a job. If you are asked directly, consider presenting your side of the story as positively, logically, and succinctly as possible.
Resume Templates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.