We all know that fabricating facts on your resume is considered taboo. However, some candidates believe that it is perfectly acceptable to simply omit or exaggerate facts, educational background or work experiences on their resume. The temptation to exaggerate or omit is a misrepresentation and is simply just not worth the risk.

Omitting facts is just as serious as fabrication because it requires making a concerted effort to avoid career digressions that may not be favorably perceived by a prospective employer. For example, some candidates will not specify a specific college or certification program that they attended/participated in because they did not complete the respective degree program or they believe that it is not relevant to the position they are applying for. Other professionals try to hide gaps in their work history by saying they “consulted” during those periods. Resumes where every gap is represented as a consulting assignment is generally a red flag for seeking employment after being let go. (On a related note: if it is legitimate and you have started a consulting practice based on your experience in the industry, this is okay).

Many workers make multiple career changes in a short period of time or they get laid off and spend months looking for a new job. Sometimes a new position doesn’t work out and an employee leaves after only six months with the company. These types of scenarios are far more common than they used to be and generally do not carry the stigma they once did. While you shouldn’t attempt to cover up these scenarios, you shouldn’t overly emphasize them either.

In short, it is your obligation to report on the facts and not to decide ahead of time what is and/or isn’t important. Seasoned recruiters are trained to detect exaggerations, and if they do, they are more inclined to toss your resume into the reject pile and consider it ineligible for future consideration. Don’t let an inclination to omit or exaggerate interfere with solidifying (or keeping) your next challenging and rewarding career opportunity. 

Good luck!

  Jeffrey Golove
  Managing Director – Execu|Search Health Care Partners

CBS News recently reported that an estimated 3 in 10 people lie on their resume. In today’s economy,with an unemployment rate just below 10%, desperate job seekers are more likely to lie in order to achieve their goal- securing a new job. In an effort to warn others about the risks of lying on your resume, Andrea Stanfield, a former resume forger, shared her story.

About to lose custody of her daughter in the midst of an expensive divorce, Andrea applied for opportunities that required a Bachelor’s Degree, despite only having completed high school. Under the Education section of her resume, Andrea placed “Akron University” (The University she was referring to is actually the University of Akron), and fabricated a bachelor’s degree.

Andrea’s resume (and new degree) led to a 6 figure salary- and years of lies and guilt in order to maintain the image of the woman she created on her resume. Her deception eventually caught up to her- contributing to her second divorce and the loss of many friends and colleagues. You can read about Andrea’s experience in her new book, “Phony- how I faked my way through life.”

While Andrea’s experience may be extreme, she never expected a single lie on her resume would lead to years of deceit and a tough downfall, so think twice before you “make a little change” to your credentials, and Don’t lie on your resume. If you get caught, you won’t get the job. If you don’t get caught and you happen to land the job, you could face guilt and trouble down the line when your lies catch up to you- including being questioned when your lack of experience begins to show on the job. This seemingly common sense advice – Don’t Lie- also applies to answering questions during an interview, the references you submit, and anything else related to your job search.