Our survey reveals that one in four respondents lie, exaggerate, or provide inaccurate information on their job applications.
According to Business Magazine, the cost of a bad hire can cost a business 30% of the employee's first year earnings. Reference-checking firm Checkster found that 70.6% of recruiters wouldn’t hire someone who lied on their resume, even if they “had a good reason”.
What we did:
That’s why we asked a group of 1,000 full-time workers what details, if any, they had embellished on their resumes in the last year. The results not only show where job seekers may not be the most truthful, but also which generations are more likely to stretch the truth when applying for jobs.
Key findings:
23% inflate their responsibilities on their resume, whereas 22% have fabricated a previous employer
Male workers (33.2%) are more likely to be dishonest on job applications than their female counterparts (21.1%)
Gen Z is the most likely generation to exaggerate on job applications, with nearly one-half (47%) of young workers admitting to it. While 38.5% of millennials have previously lied to get a job, only 20.4% of Gen X and just 9.4% of Baby Boomers say the same.
46% of Gen Z have lied on a job application to land a job
Younger applicants can grapple with limited professional experience, which leads to heightened anxiety and a tendency to embellish qualifications to meet job expectations. According to The Guardian, Gen Z candidates experience more stress during job applications due to stress and a lack of preparation.
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Just under half (46%) of Generation Z admitted to embellishing their resume in the last year, making them five times more likely to get creative with details when applying for a role than Baby Boomers (9.2%).
What is the most frequent lie on resumes?
When it comes to stretching the truth, the ways in which each generation does so varies significantly. 62% of Gen Z inflate their responsibilities, and 50% admit to exaggerating skills or work experience. Millennials, by comparison, add false achievements (29%) but more commonly also inflate responsibilities (54%).
Generation X are slightly more conservative overall but are still most likely to exaggerate their skills (35%), while Baby Boomers show the lowest overall rates, but 25% admit to giving false references – more so than any other generation.
Can hiring managers spot lies on a resume?
While some candidates may successfully exaggerate or misrepresent information on their resumes, the likelihood of being caught is high. Experienced hiring managers are skilled at identifying discrepancies and have several tools to verify candidate claims, including:
Background checks to confirm identity and employment history.
Reference verification, including previous employers.
Skill assessments and tests to evaluate proficiencies.
Multiple interviews to ensure consistency in responses.
Recruiters also identify inconsistencies without formal verification. Red flags can include unexplained gaps in employment, overstated technical skills without supporting education or experience, or conflicting dates. While not all falsehoods are detected, the risks are significant. Maintaining honesty on a resume is essential for long-term career credibility.
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Methodology:
career.io conducted a survey using Pollfish, collecting responses from over 1,000 full-time US workers aged 18 to 79. The survey focused on the prevalence of exaggeration and dishonesty in job applications, covering areas such as work experience and job responsibilities. Weighting analysis has been applied to ensure equal representation among different generations. Data collected: April 2025
