When it comes to lying on your resume – DON’T. According to a Career Builder survey, 57% of employers automatically dismiss applicants who fabricate any part of their resumes. As millions of people search for work in this tough job market, many are making things up in order to stand out to employers, but that’s a BAD idea. Lisa Mininni is president of Excellerate Associates, an organizational consulting company. She says “embellishing” your credentials can cost you your license, your job, your salary - and your reputation. It’s unfair to the countless other honest candidates. So here’s what job-seekers lie about and why, plus ways you can get around being deceitful:
- A lot of job applicants lie about their education. People claim to have attended college when they didn’t, earned a degree that they didn’t, and more. Mininni says the truth is, companies are looking for the value you’ll bring. That’s why they often have “degree or equivalent work experience” statements in their job requirements. So, if you have a comparable amount of experience in lieu of a degree - highlight that. An employer can easily find out if you’re lying about a degree and then you’ll be fired.
- Dates of employment. Mininni sayspeople think they need to cover up gaps between jobs, or short-term employment. Bad idea. Instead, address any employment gaps in your cover letter. Be honest about what you did during those breaks, and point out any relevant skills you learned during that time. Even if you’ve only spent one month at a job, Mininni says include it in your employment history.
- Salaries. Researching what the current market pays is critical when it comes time to talking money. Candidates often inflate how much they’ve made at previous jobs in the hopes of increasing a starting offer. Remember - salaries can be verified with a phone call. So, don’t lie yourself out of a job by exaggerating your worth. During the interview, if they ask what you were making at your previous job, say this: “I was making X amount – but I’m hoping to increase that to the market standard. I’m worth X because I bring years of experience to the table.”
