Lying on Resumes not a Rare Occurrence

More than one in five (21%) workers said they know someone who stretched the truth on their resume. Job duties (58%) and education (34%) were cited as areas that are embellished most frequently.   

Managers were asked, “In your opinion, how often do job applicants include dishonest or exaggerated information on their resumes?” Their responses:

•  Very often – 7%

•  Somewhat often – 36%

•  Not very often – 48%

•  Never – 8%

•  Don’t know – 1%

Workers were asked, “Do you know anyone who misrepresented or exaggerated information on his or her resume?” Their responses:

•  Yes – 21%

•  No – 76%

•  Don’t know – 3%

Workers who know someone who has misrepresented or exaggerated information on his or her resume were also asked, “What type of information did they misrepresent or exaggerate on their resume?” Their responses:

•  Job duties – 58%

•  Education – 34%

•  Employment dates – 24%

•  Job experience – 9%

•  Other – 7%

“Unfortunately, employers can’t always take everything on a resume at face value,” said Robert Hosking, Executive Director of OfficeTeam, in a press release. “That’s why it’s so important to get to know a prospective hire by probing for specifics during the interview, conducting thorough reference checks and testing skills where appropriate.”  

The surveys of managers and workers were developed by OfficeTeam. They were conducted by an independent research firm and include responses from 1,013 senior managers at companies with 20 or more employees and 431 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in office environments.