The job advertisement says all applicants need management experience — you were responsible for wrangling schedules and time cards at your last job, so that counts…right? Or maybe the job you want requires a bachelor’s degree, and though you completed all the credits, you didn’t actually graduate due to an outstanding bill — close enough, right? No matter how badly you want the job, fudging details on your resume constitutes resume fraud. Think the chances of anyone ever discovering your little white lies is small enough to take the risk? Think again.
A Common — But Dishonest — Practice
“Survey after survey shows that people lie and mislead on their resumes,” Lee Pomeroy, president of Executive References LLC, a background-checking firm in New York, tells the Wall Street Journal. Not all instances of resume fraud are intentional — think forgetting to list a short-term job or mistaking dates of employment — but the end result is the same, if the fraud is discovered. Employers are well within their rights to immediately terminate any employee who has gained employment by fraudulent means.
Little White Lies, Big Consequences
People commit resume fraud because they assume they will not get caught, and sometimes that is indeed the case. But lies about experience or education usually reveal themselves when an employee is unable to perform the tasks the job requires. That alone is grounds for dismissal, but should the employer discover that the lack of skill stems from lack of stated experience or training, then the stakes become even higher. The most immediate consequences may be denial of unemployment benefits, as dismissal from a job due to resume fraud may be considered misconduct under state law, therefore disqualifying the dismissed employee from claiming unemployment benefits. Longer term, the employer may warn former employers and potential employers in the same field, poisoning the well for good references from former employers and offers from potential employers alike.
Create a Better Set of Skills, Not Just a Better Resume
Rather than committing resume fraud, job seekers should work on building skills. Finishing an abandoned degree, taking classes to improve soft and hard skills, or seeking a job that accepts current credentials and experience while offering opportunities for advancement are the best ways to build a resume that employers are looking for, rather than creating one out of thin air.
The recruiting experts at Staffing Partners can help you to find a job that makes the most of your current skills while also helping you build your experience and skills to become more employable. Check out the job-seeking strategies on our website, or contact an experienced recruiter today.
