Hiring Managers Discover Resume Lies

resume lies can catch up with you

resume lies can catch up with you

Career Builder survey results show that 58% of hiring managers discover resume lies that job seekers include in application materials.  I remind job seekers all the time that we write our resumes everyday.  In other words, what ends up on our resumes, is what we actually do.  If we didn't do it then we can't claim it.  Resume lies include stretching the truth by misrepresenting job duties, tweaking job titles or fixing dates of employment.

Most Common Resume Lies

Apparently, based on the survey, some of the resume lies are what we might call little indiscretions that we try to slip past employers.  Apparently, the most common resumes lies that hiring managers spot are as follows.

  • Embellished skill set – 57%

  • Embellished responsibilities – 55%

  • Dates of employment – 42%

  • Job title – 34%

  • Academic degree – 33%

  • Companies worked for – 26%

  • Accolades/awards – 18%

Which Industries Attract Resume Lies

According to the survey, employers seem to find resume lies on resumes for jobs of all types, levels and industries.  However, some industries report a higher rate of resume lies than others. Below are the rates that recruiters seem to catch resume lies based on industry.

  • Financial Services – 73%

  • Leisure and Hospitality – 71%

  • Information Technology – 63%

  • Health Care (More than 50 employees) – 63%

  • Retail – 59%

End Resume FailsDr. Marcia F. RobinsonResumes