When J. Terrence Lanni resigned from MGM Mirage in the fall of 2008, he became the 10th in a string of top CEOs slain that year for “little white lies” on their resumes. The former industry titan never completed his MBA, but included it on his resume anyway. In recent years, the leaders of Radio Shack and MCG Capital have quit their jobs after failing fact checks. Despite the risk of ruining successful careers, some would-be leaders still stretch the truth when they submit job applications.
According to many hiring managers, using a lie to get a job often requires maintaining that lie for years. When confronted, some professionals report hazy memories of their early races. Others freely admit to lying, using the challenges of the job market to justify their actions. Although some headhunters once recommended creative resume writing as a method of getting your foot in the door, today’s business world traditionally prizes integrity over invention.
Common Resume Lies Can Hold You Back
It can be tempting to “stuff out your resume,” exaggerating some of your real-life experiences to make yourself more attractive to hiring managers. According to recent surveys of HR professionals, some of the most common resumes include:
o Inflating job titles or responsibilities at previous employers
o Replacing a gap on your resume with a made-up job at a company that you claim has now gone out of business
o Claiming to have earned a degree that you did not complete
o Claiming to have obtained a different degree to make it more attractive to a potential employer
o Adopt a hiring manager’s alma mater to help build rapport
o Report a different reason for leaving a previous position
Strong resumes exhibit honesty, clarity, and focus
Recent regulations like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act have forced employers to take a closer look at job applicants. Many recruiters and hiring managers at large companies rely on outside researchers to verify resumes, often before applicants even get to the interview phase. Small businesses can use the Internet to track down inaccuracies by requesting college transcripts or researching employment history. Even an online search for different versions of your resume can raise questions about edits and changes over time.
Surveys conducted over the past five years reflect concern and confusion about fabricated resumes. Respondents in a recent survey suggest that about one in twenty resumes contain the kind of lie that could cause embarrassment or even financial penalties for employers. In another survey, the human resources specialist reported that about half of all resumes include at least one lie. Today’s most successful resumes must emphasize hard facts, provide clear deadlines, and offer accessible references. Crisp language underscores your respect for executives’ time.
Make your resume stand out
Instead of inflating your experiences, career counselors now recommend improving the quality of your presentation. With inexpensive software or word processing templates, you can create a highly polished resume that fits on a single page. Sacrificing flowery language for white space should grab the attention of most hiring managers. A professional design, free of typos, demonstrates one of the most sought-after skills in today’s job market: powerful communication. Shrinking your resume also has a powerful side benefit. HR databases often deformat e-resumes, filtering submissions by keyword. Automated recruiting tools that search for specific job titles or action words favor thin resumes.
In an economy where job seekers fight each other to get ten minutes of face time at hiring events, it can seem counterintuitive to mark up your resume. However, the talent buyer’s market and the scrutiny of independent investors have rewritten the rules for getting hired in the United States. Professional, action-oriented presentation of facts will get you further today than any bloated resume in the past.