Employers Beware — Job Hunters Lying on Resumes

Most employers already know that job hunters likely stretch a thing or two on their resumes. A survey from career.io found that 25% of job hunters go Pinocchio and fib on their resume. Breaking it down a bit, 23% admit to exaggerating responsibilities from a past job and 22% claim they’ve worked somewhere they’ve never worked.

Usually, a skilled interviewer can sort things through and separate truth from stretching. A person with limited skills will have more of a problem but — still — it’s not impossible for them for figure out what’s true or not.

Certified Professional Career Coach Amanda Augustine said stretching the truth of a resume is not surprising.

“Many job seekers believe that if they can get through the initial resume screening and land an interview, they’ll have a real shot at impressing the hiring manager,” she said. “That belief often leads some candidates to stretch the truth on their resumes. But even small exaggerations can come back to bite you.”

• Males — at 33.2% — are more likely to be dishonest on a resume
• For women that number is not far from men at 31.1%
• 47% of Gen Z seekers admit to lying
• 38.5% of millennials admit to fudging the facts
• Generation X’s number is 20.4%
• For Baby Boomers the figure is a tiny 9.4%

Since the biggest fibbers are Generation Z, and they’re the biggest group of people looking for work, and those most employers are hiring these days, career.io broke down what they’re most apt to lie about:

• Work experience — 24.1%
• Job title — 17.6%
• Responsibilities — 29%
• Education, certifications, or courses — 11.4%
• Skills (technical, professional, or soft) — 23.5%
• Achievements — 10%
• References — 5.3%
• No, I have never exaggerated or lied (Exclusive answer) — 52.9%

Augustine warns that these kinds of exaggerations often reveal themselves in the interview and, if not, they show up during reference checks or background screenings.

“While someone might be able to fly under the radar for a little while, being caught in a lie — even after being hired — can damage their professional reputation and ultimately cost them the job,” she finished.

Source link: PropertyCasualty360.com — https://bit.ly/457Rlnp