Don't Lie On Your Resume

Lately, I've been asked "how thoroughly do recruiters check the information on resumes?" I immediately respond - don't lie on your resume, don't lie on the application. Specifically, don't lie about dates you've worked at a company, company you've worked at, salary earned, title, school, degree, graduation dates. Those are the categories most background checks target first for accuracy.

True story, I had a candidate freelancing for my client. The client decided he was a perfect fit and wanted to hire him. His work, his ideas, culture - everything fit. The salary was six figures. They did the background check based on his resume. They discovered he lied about the school he graduated from. The offer was rescinded, he was let go immediately.

It had to be one of the hardest conversations I've ever had. He was broken-hearted and so was I. He had gotten bad advice from a recruiter at a different company. She had told him to change his school because no one ever checked, and it would make him look better.

Let's be real - Recruiters look for reason's to eliminate applicants. As much as it's their responsibility to find the right candidate, its also their job to keep the wrong ones out. Whether recruiters realize it or not - they spend most of their time keeping the wrong job applicants out - so don't give them an additional reason to eliminate you from the list.

The reality is we live in a world full of threats. Every company is trying to make sure they are hiring good people. They don't want their next employee hire to be a "headline" on the news. Companies pay third parties to ensure they are hiring individuals with clean backgrounds, and verify the candidate is being truthful.

Simply, don't lie on your resume. If you are concerned about anything on your resume, then ask how to address it.

I advise people professionally, I speak publicly on career and leadership. I can answer questions or direct you to resources. ...feel free to ask anytime...comments or direct message.