Lying on a Resume Job Application Can You [99% Do!]

Lying on a Resume Job Application Can You [99% Do!] Youve been at the company for years, now.Youre the top performer, on the fast-track for yet another promotion, and everyone there adores you.Tomorrow, youll be fired.Wait, what?!?Thats right, you got fired. You were let go because of some falsity, some fabrication, they just found out about.You had lied on your resume.If this cautionary tale isnt enough to get you to reconsider, read on as we talk more about lying on resumes, cover letters, job applications, and employment interviews.Want to land more job interviews? Create the perfect resume in our builder:Pick a professional template.Get expert resume tips from recruiters.Edit and download your resume in minutes.Start getting more job offers. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume.Sample resume made with our builder See 20+ templates and create your resume hereOne of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume now1You WILL Get CaughtThat 99% number from the title?We lied. We made it up. HoweverAccording to the latest CareerBuilder study, 75% hiring managers caught a lie on a resume (the remaining 25% clearly dont read resumesbut thats our interpretation.)Okay, there is a small chance youll get away with lying on a job application or on your resume.Its probably safe to say most of us embellish facts we present to the prospective employer.Perhaps your resume lies were inconsequential, or the company doesnt bother to check your story out, or you just dont stay at the company long enough for the truth to spill out.But these are best-case scenarios (for you), and the odds are quite against you.Here are some of the common ways you could get caught:Background checkYour cover letter, resume, and/or job application dont match, story-wiseThey make a simple phone call to your old jobYou let the truth slip to your bossYou let the truth slip to your coworkersThe skills you listed on your resume are f inally put to the testYour university denies youve graduated or took that major/minorDates, fake job titles, etc. dont add up or make senseA simple Google search reveals the true storyThese are the typical ways youll get found out, but by no means all of them.Pro Tip: Dont lie on your resume!If you want a resume thatll get you the interview without resorting to lies, check out our resume tips, resume dos and donts, or our complete guide on how to write a resume.2Are There Any Acceptable Lies?Mani Goulding, former Director of Talent Management and owner of HR consultancy Career Passion, has no room for gray areas.In my experience, there aren't any instances where lying in an interview or resume is justified.Out of the dozens of career experts I reached out to, common phrases included unequivocal no,never, and non-negotiable.If you know your statement to be false, whether on a resume, cover letter, job application, or at the interview, then leave it off!Pro Tip: Dont lie on your cover letter!Need to write a cover letter that wins them over without having to use untruths? Read our great cover letter tips or our complete guide on how to write a cover letter.3Heres What the Experts Have to Say About LyingI reached out to find actual experts, including HR managers, consultants, and recruiters, to see what they have to say about lying during the employment process.Heres what they have to say.Kathleen Steffey, founder and chief talent officer for Naviga Recruiting, starts us off with her no-nonsense take: There are no instances where lying would be justified. If you lie on a resume or application, there are so many easy ways that the employer can find out if the applicant is lying, especially through references and formal background checks. However, I do suggest that there are instances where information shouldnt be disclosed up front to prevent discriminationfor example, year of graduation.She continues with a great comparison: Its kind of like dating. If you catch h im/her lying before your first face-to-face dinner, will you really continue exploring them as a potential partner? No!I asked Matthew Burr, of Burr Consulting, what he would do after finding out that an applicant lied to him: It's over after that, I don't have the time or patience to deal with someone lying to me during an interview or hiring process. We are investing in someone for a career, regardless of the level. I've been involved in two situations (both HR hires) that lied about levels of education, in both cases we did not hire. Catching someone in a lie is easy if you do your homework.Finding out that someone has lied can plant very serious doubts in the minds of the interviewer. What else would they lie about if they actually got the job? Just how trustworthy are these people? Enough of these questions can arise put enough doubt in the interviewers mind that they may decide to eliminate the candidate from the process, altogether, adds Steve Pritchard, HR Consultant for Ben Sherman.Osayi Lasisi, a former HR director for a large organization, was the only lenient expert I found.She says, When I discover that someone has lied on their resume or in an interview, I look at how trivial or how serious the lie is and how it may impact the job function. The lie would make me question whether they are trustworthy people, however it may also just reflect their desperation and desire for the position. I try to weigh the gravity of the situation based on the other circumstances when making a decision, and then observe them during the probation period.Pro Tip: Dont lie at the interview!Are you worried that you wont be able to impress them without falsifying some info at the interview? Think again! Check out our best interview tips to give you honest-to-goodness advice on how to ace your meeting.4Consequences of Lying on a Job ApplicationThere are only a few consequences to being caught lying during your employment process, but theyre all shameful and problematic f or your professional future.Most often, youll get fired immediately (or not hired to begin with).However, if youve been working for some time before they find the lie out, being fired disappoints your boss, turns your friends and coworkers against you, and could have repercussions in your personal life.Is it Illegal to Lie on a Resume?Lying on a resume, cover letter, or job application isn't technically illegal. These forms aren't legal documents, so usually you cant get prosecuted for lying on them. However, if you falsify documents that back up claims of educational history, for example, that could be grounds for trouble with the law.Also, its important to remember that each jurisdiction has different laws.For instance, Texas Penal Code 32.52 states that a person commits an offense if the person uses or claims to hold a postsecondary degree that the person knows is fictitious or has otherwise not been granted to the person, among other things.Pro Tip: Dont lie on your job applicat ion!5The ONLY Time You Should Lie on a ResumeHere is how to lie on your resume and get away with it:Pro Tip: Dont lie on a resume unless youre a cat!The Most Surprising Fact about Lying in InterviewsYou should know that the employer cant retaliateif you lie to answer illegal interview questions they might ask of you.Illegal interview questions, such as about your religion or weight, violate your civil rights, and you can lie. Technically, that is. However, its still better off to point it out or change the subject.Key TakeawayI often expel 1000+ words to make a simple point, but this one takes the cake.Lets recap:Dont lie on resumes.Dont lie on cover letters.Dont lie on job applications.Dont lie at interviews.And with the right preparation, you wont have to!Do you have any questions about lying on a resume? Not sure how to pass the interview without telling a small fib? Get at us in the comments below and we will answer your question. Thanks for reading!