If you’ve been fired from your last job, unemployed for more than six months, or lack the level of experience being requested by a prospective employer, chances are you’ve lied on your resume; All in a desperate attempt to appear a cut above the other candidates vying for the same position, and to not be disqualified from the screening process. Sadly you’re not the only one out there feeling insecure about some aspect of your background. Just ask Dave Edmondson, former Radio Shack Chief Executive who was busted for “inventing” a college degree he never earned. According to Edmonson he earned diplomas in psychology and theology from Pacific Coast Baptist College in California, unfortunately there is no evidence that he ever graduated from Pacific College. Baush & Lomb CEO, Ronald Zarrella tried to play the same game. Zarrella claimed to hold an M.B.A. from New York University’s business school - university records indicate that he began the program but never actually graduated. The saga continues - After only five days on the job as the new head football coach of the University of Notre Dame George O’Leary, publically humiliated, resigned for “falsifying parts of his academic and athletic background”, and who could forget when Senator Joseph Binden Jr. now Vice President of The United States of America stepped down from the 1988 Presidential Primary Race amid among other charges that he “exaggerated his academic records.” According to Forbes “The senator claimed he attended Syracuse University College of Law on a full academic scholarship, graduating in the top half of his class. His records later showed that he actually finished 76th in his class of 85 and received only a partial scholarship based on financial need.” The list of perpetrators goes on my friend, but I’ll stop here since I’m sure you get the point; lying on a resume is a common occurrence. So the question becomes if these bigwigs (for whom the stakes are obviously higher) lie, fudge the truth, and commit resume fraud what’s stopping the average Joe Blow?
Why Do People Lie On Their Resume?
If you’ve ever been unemployed for a long period of time, I don’t have to remind you of how quickly your saving (if you ever had one to begin with) can be wiped out on bills and the bare necessities required just to live! As the bills pile higher and higher, creditors begin to call, and “decent paying” jobs (or any job for that matter) become harder and harder to find, fear kicks in and even the most spiritual person can begin to feel a sense of desperation! You need a job and you need it now and you are prepared to “do what you have to do” to get one, even if it means lying on your resume.
Other obvious reasons people choose to lie on their resumes includes:
- To appear more qualified – after all the skill set being sought is no big deal and “I catch on fast.” “All I have to do is log onto YouTube and download a tutorial, or ask my friend to “show me how to do it.”
- To secure a higher salary
- To not be disqualified from the screening process. Common sense tells you that if you do not meet the criteria being requested by the employer, your application will end up on the “not for consideration” pile.
What Do People Lie About?
Education/Experience/Accomplishments – Bogus college degrees and certifications that have long expired top the list. This is especially true for older candidates in top positions, who may feel ashamed that after many years in a particular field they still don’t have any “papers to show.” The flip side could be an individual with a degree or certification with no experience claiming that he/she managed 30 people when he/she works in an office of two and holds the job title of Administrative Assistant. New grads are not exempt. They tend to lie about their grade point average and invent honors they never received.
Being a business owner to cover gaps – This is a neat trick used by some applicants to disguise the fact that he/she has been unemployed for a long period of time.
Dates of employment/Reason for Leaving – Some applicants “play with dates” in an attempt to hide employment gaps and lack of stability. Eg. Being fired from a job(s), job hopping or a series of part-time jobs that didn’t transition into full time employment. Some applicants are even attempting to hide the fact that they had been to prison.
Salary/Benefits – Some applicants will claim that they made more money at their previous job in an attempt to get more money. Eg. People working “on tips” tend to exaggerate the amount of money they make on tips, then they add this exaggerated figure to their weekly pay, claiming this new figure as their base salary. Some professionals simply add their year-end bonus to their salary.
That they even worked for you in the first place – Lying by omission is a VERY popular trend. Obviously this pre-mediated resume fraud is committed to ensure that a previous employer is NEVER contacted. When you discover this type of deceit be prepared for DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA!
Is It Worth The Risk? Thinking About Lying On Your Resume? – Don’t Do It! Like the good book says, your sins will surely find you out. Do you honestly believe that your background will not be investigated? Give me a break – Seriously – Wow, you gat to be crazy! Remember HR professionals network and more than that, the Bahamas is very small – people know people and people talk. Is the risk of being caught, fired, humiliated, branded as a liar, and possibly never being hired by a reputable company again in life worth it? I think not!
