Job seekers tell small white lies on their CV’s most times and get away with it. That’s not to say, however, that it is alright and acceptable.
The biggest lies are overstating your education and experience, but even those little white lies, such as trying to broaden your volunteer efforts with activities you haven’t done, or wrongfully claiming you have job skills, can impact your job search.
Let’s look at these points:
• People are checking up on you.
With the Internet, it’s so much easier for employers and even other job candidates to check up on you. By simply looking at Facebook, an online bio/resume, information posted by your former employer online, and other sites, people can find contradictions between what you say on your resume and what is true.
In addition, potential employers may call former employers or references, who may not be able to verify your background and what you say you can do.
• You may be asked to prove it.
Stretch the truth about your abilities, and you may be given a test that will call you out on your lie. Even if that doesn’t happen and you get the job, your employer would be in for a rude awakening when you start and are unprepared to handle job duties.
Instead, cast your abilities and experience in the best light possible without lying.
• It impacts your credibility.
If you get caught (not if, but when, because it is bound to happen) lying on your resume, your potential employer will question your character.
Even if they discover a little white lie and still hire you, your employer may keep a much closer eye on you, to make sure you are not bringing any of that behavior to your job.
That’s added pressure that nobody needs to have at work.
BOTTOM LINE: It is better late than never. If you are considering lying on your resume or wishing to make it stand out from the crowd to get the needed advantage, stop and recognize that the consequences can be too great.
Think twice, no matter how big or small the lie seems.
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