The truth and only the truth: the consequences of lying on your resume

Mark Twain once said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” The same goes for creating your resume, as telling the truth will ultimately get you farther in your career than inventing experience you don’t actually have. You might be tempted to insert a few falsehoods on your resume, as it might seem like “everybody does it.” If you do a little research, however, you'll find that almost every article about writing a resume agrees that lying on your resume is a bad idea. Remember: the truth will set you free, and in the end, it might help you land a job.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

• Is lying on a resume normal?

• In what ways do people lie on their resumes?

• How can recruiters spot lies on a resume?

• Why lying on a resume doesn’t help you land a job

• Frequently asked questions

Is lying on a resume normal?

It depends on how you define “normal.” It does happen fairly often, but it shouldn’t be considered the norm. Lying on your resume can have serious consequences, including:

• Getting fired if you’re found out

• Loss of credibility or reputation

• Being harder to find a job in the future

• Losing certifications or licenses

• Imposter syndrome

In certain cases, there could even be legal ramifications. While lying on a resume itself usually isn't a criminal offense (unless you're trying to impersonate a medical professional), you could be leaving yourself open to civil charges or allegations of fraud. That's not something you want to get involved in!

In what ways do people lie on their resume?

First of all, It’s important to remember leaving things off your resume isn’t “lying by omission.” A good resume is streamlined to include only the important and relevant details to highlight your skills and qualifications. For example, you may want to leave out a job that's more than 10 years in the past, or a certification that you chose not to renew. Recruiters are more interested in what you bring to the table, not what you don't. Where you can run into trouble is flat-out lying, saying you did something that you didn’t, such as:

• Your qualifications, such as listing skills you don’t actually have or overstating proficiencies in others.

• Your employment history, providing inaccurate job titles, companies you didn’t actually work for, how long you worked there, or achievements you didn’t attain.

• Exaggerating job duties and responsibilities to sound more accomplished.

• Giving false education information, such as claiming a degree you didn’t earn or naming a college you didn’t attend.

• Your previous salary and/or benefits.

How do recruiters react to lies on a resume?

If you’ve lied on your resume and the recruiter catches it, you’re more likely to lose out on that opportunity. A reference-checking firm called Checkster did a survey and found that 70.6 percent of recruiters wouldn’t hire someone who lied on their resume, even if that “had a good reason,” and 63 percent wouldn’t hire someone who gave false references. Sure, there’s a small chance you’d get hired anyway, but it’s probably not worth the risk. Hiring managers have long memories, and it may come back to hurt you in the future.

How can recruiters spot lies on a resume?

Sure, some people can get away with lying on their resume and land a plumb job, but the odds are that at some point, you’re likely to get caught in that lie. Hiring managers have seen it all and most have a very good eye for catching fraudulent resumes. Plus, they have quite a few tools at their disposal to catch falsehoods on resumes, such as:

• Background checks to make sure you are who you say you are.

• Checking your references, including companies and universities on your resume.

• Giving skill assessments and tests to measure your proficiencies.

• Multiple interviews to test the consistency of your claims.

Recruiters can catch falsehoods that don’t involve testing or checking references. They will look for vagaries or inconsistencies in your resume, such as having a background in retail but professing to have extensive programming language proficiency (without listing the educational background to corroborate), or inconsistency in employment or graduation dates. While it's true that not everyone is caught (you've probably worked alongside someone who has lied on their resume), it’s probably not worth the risk, especially if your career is important to you. Honesty really is the best policy.

Why lying on a resume doesn’t help you land a job

It may seem like telling the hiring manager what they want to hear to get a job is a great idea, but think again. In the long run, it’s counterproductive. If they notice an obvious falsehood on your resume, such as a job that doesn't exist, skills you don't possess, or references that have no idea who you are, your resume will likely go in the trash bin. Employers generally don’t like to hire liars; they risk a lot by having employees on the roster who are untrustworthy.

But let’s say the hiring manager doesn’t catch your lie, and you land the job. You’re not out of the woods, yet. The truth is that you have a job that you’re most likely not qualified to perform and you’ll probably make obvious, basic errors, both of which will probably poke holes in your “cover story” and lead to you being discovered as unqualified. But even if you’re not found out, you’re basing your career on lies, which can interfere with professional relationships, trust, and growth. Feeling like an imposter isn’t a good way to run your career. 

Frequently asked questions

Can you get fired for lying on a resume?

Yes, you can, and it’s perfectly legal, especially if you’re an “at-will” employee, which means that a company can fire you for just about any reason (except for retaliation or illegal discrimination, of course). Also, you most likely signed something—either in your application or employment papers—confirming that what you’re representing about yourself is true. Regardless, misrepresenting yourself counts as “good cause” and you can be let go, even if you’re not an at-will employee.

Can employers see your work history?

They may not be able to "see" it, at least immediately, but they can verify your work history by checking references, calling previous employers, and authenticating your degree and the school you attended.

I’m an employer. What do I do if an employee lies on their resume?

While most lies are fairly innocuous (but not acceptable), some lies can be dangerous to your company and you should seriously consider firing that employee. You should also decide if legal action is warranted. Keep in mind that even if the employee didn’t do any damage, there could be some harm to your company’s reputation if it's found out. Consider tightening up your hiring and background-checking practices to avoid this issue in the future.

What is the most frequent lie on resumes?

There are quite a few common lies that appear on resumes, but the most common one is “embellishing” job responsibilities, with a recent survey showing that 52 percent of respondents were guilty of this. Other common lies include job title (52%), how many people the applicant managed (45%), how long they held a job (37%), and the company that employed them (31%).

Is lying on a resume unethical?

It does raise some serious questions about an applicant’s trustworthiness, professionalism, and integrity, yes. While a lie about your educational background is different from fudging your abilities in particular computer software, it's still a lie and carries with it ethical implications that can affect your future career. Take the time to stand out from the crowd—truthfully—by crafting an honest resume and working to strengthen and enhance the skills you’ll need to land the job you want.

What might happen if I lie on my resume?

Depends on the severity of the lie, as well as the company itself. If you get caught before you’re hired, well, you probably won’t get the job, and your resume might be flagged in the ATS as a “do not hire.” If you do get hired, you might have difficulty performing the job, which can lead to negative evaluations and less chance of promotion. It can also damage your professional reputation. You can develop a negative reputation among hiring managers, and that will lessen your chances of getting hired for a job you want in the future.

What should I do if I already lied on my resume?

There are a few things you can do if you’ve already submitted a resume that isn’t 100% truthful.

1. Take your chances that you won’t get caught, but you’ll have to live with the deceit and risk being found out.

2. Remove yourself from consideration by withdrawing your resume. You won't have to provide any explanations.

3. If you get an interview, tell the hiring manager the truth. Depending on what you lied about, they might (emphasis on might) be willing to overlook it.

4. Turn a lie into the truth. If you exaggerated your computer skills, for example, before the interview or start date, take a class or an online course to learn that skill. It's a little sketchy, but if you start the job knowing how to do what you said you could do, you’re better off (and don’t stretch the truth in the future!). 

Put your best foot forward with Career.io’s Professional Resume Writing service, with experts ready to craft a top-notch resume to highlight your skills and experience and help you land the job.

Key takeaways

1. Lying on a resume can lead to firing, loss of credibility, imposter syndrome, or trouble finding a job in the future.

2. People often lie about job history, skills, salary, education, references, and job titles.

3. Hiring managers can spot lies on a resume by performing background checks, checking references, giving skill assessments, and performing multiple interviews to uncover inconsistencies.