There are five lies you should never tell on your resume, according to experts who warn you could be fired if your new bosses found out.
Some people believe it’s important to “pad your resume,” says Rolf Bax, CMO at Resume.io, but it could spell disaster.
“Yes, the job market is competitive and job posting requirements can be intimidating,” he said.
There are five lies you should never write on your resume, experts say
But as tempting as it may be to lie, it’s important to know what it might say about you to your prospective employer.
“Lying once indicates that you will lie again. The trust is broken and that is a major career obstacle. And while it’s true that everyone “does their best” on a resume, it’s easy to get caught in a lie,” he said.
Top five Bax “lies” to avoid on your resume include overstating your accomplishments, using exaggerated titles, and submitting untrue statistics like salaries.
Too high performance
Improving your skills to meet the list of job requirements prepare for potential disaster when you actually take on the role, but there are other ways you can improve yourself as well.
For example, if you were the junior on a team, don’t pretend you’re an important player.
Omission is a form of lying and it is not difficult for an employer to verify your role. And never pretend you’re part of a team’s success when you weren’t on the team.
What five things should you avoid?
Improve your achievements
Use exaggerated titles
Customize statistics, including salary
Pretend you have a PhD
Fill in the gaps in your professional career
Even if your interviewer does not conduct a background check, you may be asked to describe in detail what you did. Your response, even your body language, will tell the interviewer that you lied.
Exaggerated titles
One of the most well-known fictional job titles is “creative director,” popularized by celebrities hired by corporations to add their fame and followers to big brands.
You might be an illustrator, production designer, salesperson, or copywriter, but you’re not yet a celebrity or creative director.
The second fantasy title is “Managing Director” if you’re a freelancer, or even “CEO.” Be honest.
If you’re not a senior or manager, don’t add that either.
“Although titles can vary from company to company, your interviewer knows their industry well,” Bax said.
You can gauge where you actually sit on the ladder based on your career progression, Bax explained.
Simply untrue statistics
You may think your last job was worth $100,000, but if you didn’t get paid for it, don’t post it.
The employer can easily check this. And yes, ageism is rampant in many industries, but if you downplay your age, you’ll have to live with it forever.
“What if you are asked to give your passport accounts to book a business trip? What if someone you know joins the company or is a customer? What if it’s you that slips?
“You can be fired for lying like that. And the same goes for personal stats on your application,” Bax said.
Untrue stats, including your age, work experience, or salary, are easy to verify — but many people still try to lie about them
About this promotion
If you dropped out of university, you don’t have a degree. If you have earned a BA, you do not have a Masters. If you didn’t get an MBA, you didn’t get it.
Universities know how to record students digitally. Emphasize the skills you bring to the job instead of lying.
If you have awards, team involvement, professional or personal development, highlight them.
Close gaps
“People have gaps in their careers for a variety of reasons and they can feel embarrassed, but it’s dangerous to extend the end of one job to meet the beginning of another because it’s very easy to get caught,” Bax said .
“For example, it is not uncommon to be asked for a reference from a previous position.
“Your strongest option is owning the gap. If you’ve taken time off to start a family, care for a loved one, go back to school, or take on an independent project, use your cover letter to explain it.
“If you’ve been unemployed for a while, emphasize how committed you are to finding a job that will help you grow. Ultimately, honesty is the best policy – a simple adage, but true.
“Put out your true strengths, because they will make you shine in your new job. Make them what your new employer relies on and monitors,” he said.