Should You Use A Fake Resume And What Are The Consequences?

Fake resume: Should you lie on a resume?

Resume lies is a frequently debated issue. Many candidates believe that with today's tough competition there's nothing wrong in embellishing facts here and there to get the job. On the flip side, many HR managers warn about negative consequences of using fake resumes. In today's article, we are going to research how exactly people lie on resumes and is it acceptable to submit a resume that isn't 100% true.

According to the statistic, a whopping 85% of candidates lie in a resume they submit to a company. And whether you get an interview and an employment depends on the company. Some employers do thorough background checks and weed out applicants who are lying. Others aren't this attentive so you might get away with it for a while.

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Is it illegal to stretch the truth on a resume?

In fact, providing false information on a resume is not prohibited by law. Resume are not legal documents where every word should be 100% accurate. Yet, everything depends on how far your fraudulent actions go. If you not only write about a fake degree but also proceed to falsifying your diploma, professional certification or even an ID, this may result in a legal procecution.

In reality, most issues connected with resume lies are limited to applicant-employer relations. Getting caught on a lie by recruiters may lead to rejecting your application, a resignation if you got hired, and sometimes spoiled business reputation of a candidate. A lot depends on the industry. If you hide the fact that you have a criminal record and falsify the employment dates when applying for a federal job, this may lead to serious consequences.

The most popular resume lies, according to hiring managers

• Falsifying education information. Writing that they have graduated from a prestigious business school is quite common. People also may say they've completed the college while in reality they dropped out two years ago, or list academic awards they never received.

• Lying in contact information. Professionals who want to move to another state often use a local address so as not to get rejected by local employers. In fact, this white lie is tolerated by employers.

• Fake facts about past jobs. The types of exaggerations vary. Some person will add the untrue fact or two about their previous responsiblities to look better qualified for their desired job. Others go to extremes and add companies they never worked for, falsified job titles and entire list of responsibilities.

• Lying about accomplishments. Candidates know that professional accomplishments add value to resume, and those who haven't accomplish much resort to falsifying their achievements. Without talking to your past supervisor, it's difficult to check whether these accomplishments have anything to do with reality.

• Falsifying employment dates. Nobody wants to look like a job-hopper. So, candidates change employment dates on their resumes to create an impression of a consistent work history. In fact, if it's month or two, hiring managers may not notice such an exaggeration.

• Lying about skills. Writing about software they never used, foreign languages they don't speak and other fake skills is quite common. In this way, candidates try not only to impress the recruiters but to pass the ATS with a higher score.

• Writing fake references. Professionals who left previous jobs not on a good note may falsify references letters from their boss. There are other ways of falsifying references, for example, stating incorrect contact info in a hope that their current employer won't spend their time asking for correct number or email.

So, should you submit a fake resume?

Everyting depends on to what extend you want to stretch the truth. If you add a couple of non-existent responsibilities and a skill or two you're missing and catch things up on a job, nobody can even notice that. If you are careful enough, a small white lie may even help you get a job. Career consultants usually discourage from this course of action, yet, candidates who failed to get interview calls sometimes start getting them after adjusting their resumes a bit.

But if you write substantial lies about your past (including fake company names, skillsets, and job titles), beware! Nearly every company checks candidates before hiring them, and the fact that you never graduated from Yale will reveal quickly. Read more about risks connected with fake resumes below.

What are the cons of submitting a fake resume?

You may be called for an interview with a fake resume, and even get hired. But fraudulent resumes have their downsides including:

The number of lies can snowball

Let's assume you've falsified your work for a reputable company. Of course, many people on your new job will get curious and start asking questions. Thus, you'll have to make up lies just to cover your past lies, which will keep you stressed and tense all the time. Moreover, you may forget the details of your invented story, and the lies will reveal.

Skill tests will reveal the truth

Sometimes hiring managers test candidates for certain skills which are crucial for the job. The employer may test your knowledge of PHP programming language, statistical analysis or Spanish. And they'll be dissatisfied to find that you, say, know hardly a dozen of words in Spanish. Such a scenario will result in the lost job opportunity and the spoiled relationship with this employer.

You may not perform job duties properly

If you are underqualified for the position, this will quickly become obvious in real work situations. If false resume information got you hired, this doesn't mean you are safe and sound! Your supervisor will get curious why you struggle to get the job done, as you stated you have handled lots of similar projects before. The situation when a newly hired employee is fired because of lies isn't rare.

Spoiled professional reputation

Human resource managers and recruiters have professional communities and networks. If you got caught on resume lies at any stage of the hiring process, there's every chance that your recruiter will inform their colleagues about a dishonest candidate. For you, this may result in fewer job opportunities and career prospects, as people in any industry value honesty and transparency.

One way or another, incorporating resume lies is a risky path. It may get you hired in rare cases, but you will feel constant tension and threat of being exposed and fired. On the flip side, if stretching the truth a little managed to bring you interviews and you are in desperate need of a job, using this strategy may be not totally bad. Yet, it is important to be very carefull when adding untrue facts and keep possible risks in mind.

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