Bending the truth on your resume
With career scopes and job descriptions becoming wider, job seekers often find it difficult to fit a potential employer's specific profile. Employers are asking for 3 years in x and 4 years in y, which, to a job seeker just out of university, can seem a daunting level to aspire to.
Job candidates then try to 'fix' their resumes in order to better fit the job profile. What they don't realize is that they are breaking the first rule of resume writing: 'Do not lie on your resume!'
Although you may not realize it, a lie on your resume can make the honest information look false, something which will decrease your personal integrity in the eyes of the employer. Recruiters often employ the services of third parties to check the validity of the information given on resumes.
It is no use trying to outshine your competition by lying. If you're caught, you probably will not be allowed to apply for any jobs with this recruiter or employer again. Focus on your unique combination of skills, instead. The way you present your assets in a resume is important but polishing them too much and trying to turn brass into gold will not get you where you want to be.
Expert recruiters claim 'more and more candidate lie on their resumes, making us more hesitant to accept the facts presented'. The industry has seen the development of specialist companies whose business is catching people who lie on resumes. For this reason, it's becoming increasingly difficult to lie on your resume without getting caught.
Job candidates tend to lie most about their education. If you feel something in your past is hindering your ability to gain a job, do not try to hide it by lying. Instead, find other qualities that outweigh the disadvantages.
