Lying on Your Resume: Is It Worth It? Here's What To Do Instead

Lying on your resume can be a tempting shortcut—especially if you're feeling stuck in your job hunt. You keep spotting these amazing opportunities with just one or two requirements outside your profile, and can't help but think, “Why not?” 

It might feel even easier to do so when it's not necessarily a lie, and you'd only be omitting or exaggerating information. Either way, you're probably wondering if it's worth it and, most importantly, if it could backfire on you. 

Read on to find answers to these questions and more, including expert advice and better alternatives to lying on a resume. 

What constitutes a lie on a resume

Lies on a resume can fit in three categories: lies of commission, lies of omission, and embellishment.

Take this plot from the TV show “Suits”: The lead character, Mike Ross, claims to have attended Harvard in order to land a job at a prestigious law firm. However, he never studied at Harvard, or at any other law school for that matter. That's an example of a lie of commission—a completely false statement.

Now, lying by omission is hiding only part of the story. For instance, saying that you went to college but hiding the fact that you never graduated. Mike could say he passed the LAST, which he did, but not to get into law school himself. He actually took the test for others who paid him to do so. Get the difference?

At last, an embellishment is an exaggeration or overstatement. For example, stating that you have manager experience when, in reality, you've only covered for your manager during their three-day sick leave. Yes, you did manage the team, but not for enough time to fully develop management skills.

Why do people lie on their resumes?

“In my experience, most people lie on their resumes simply to get their foot in the door,” says career coach and corporate recruiting specialist Yolanda M. Owens. This could be explained by the competitive nature of today's job searching. (According to a recent report, nearly 7 million people are currently unemployed in the U.S.) 

The rise of online job application systems is another factor that can lead candidates to resort to lying. “When you have a job search process based on keywords and gatekeeping systems like applicant tracking systems or AI, it perpetuates a culture focused on cheating the system,” she adds.

In her opinion, most people who lie on a resume do so out of desperation. Candidates will do everything in their power to beat the machines, and finally get an interview. “Just do a search on beating the ATS and you’ll see evidence of this: Advice on copying and pasting job descriptions into your resume, or peppering it with a constellation of keywords to beat the bots.” 

Is it illegal to lie on a resume?

Lying on a resume is not illegal because it's not an official or legal document. But you still could face legal trouble, depending on the depths of the lie and/or the actions taken to support it. 

“If the lie is really big (i.e. lying about your education or credentials), you can find yourself in need of a lawyer to untangle the mess,” says Owens. For example, lying about going to Harvard is not necessarily illegal, but falsifying a diploma—or any type of legal document—is.

Some professions require a degree or license to be practiced. If you lie to enter a field where these certifications are mandatory, you can face legal consequences for engaging in the unlawful practice of the profession.

Other risks of lying on a resume

Even if it doesn't lead to legal trouble, lying on a resume can put you in unpleasant situations. “The biggest risk is getting caught in the lie. If you do, it can mean a trip to the unemployment line, rescinding of a job offer, or termination of a contract or benefits,” says Owens.

According to her, there could be some serious consequences of lying on resume, such as:

• Damaging your professional reputation

• Lack of trust, which may inhibit future job prospects

• You can get yourself blacklisted from companies in your field 

• It can prevent you from using employers as references 

“Regardless, it’s not a good look from any angle,” Owens says. Honesty is indeed the best policy—no wonder it became a cliche. Believe us: There are better ways to make your resume stand out than lying or stretching the truth.

4 tips to avoid lying on your resume

OK, lying is out of the table, so what to do instead? Some people feel compelled to lie on their resume because they lack a degree, have spent a lot of time unemployed, or even to pretend they're proficient in a specific in-demand skill.

If any of these applies to you, fear no more. You just need to come up with an honest and creative way to highlight the qualifications you have, targeting the job you're looking for. How? Here are some tips:

1. Get the most out of your qualifications

You really want an opportunity, but your hard skills don't really match with the job description? Highlight experiences or knowledge that are related to it.

“For example: project management or CRM software tools essentially do the same thing. And the interface is going to be slightly different from company to company. So regardless of the version of the software or tool, your learning curve is going to be about the same,” says Owens.

“The moral of the story is to focus on what you know, not what you don’t, in hopes that your adjacent knowledge may fit the requirement criteria,” she adds.

2. Showcase your professional development

Not having a college degree is a concern for many job seekers. However, it's still possible to have a successful career in fields where a degree isn't mandatory. The key is to rearrange your resume to highlight your professional development through other activities you've pursued in the past.

“If you don’t have a degree, list other things you’ve done to enhance your professional development. For example: credit hours completed, certifications, training, projects, volunteer work, and seminars, to demonstrate what you’ve learned,” says Owens.

3. Be honest about career gaps 

Having a long period of unemployment on your resume can grab the recruiter's attention in a negative way. But that doesn't mean you have to lie about it. Instead, what about creating an specific section to highlight what you did and learned during this time?

“If you've taken a gap year to discover who you are, administer caregiving, or go back to school, don’t feel ashamed or apologize. You can present the time off as 'Other Experience' and title it as a Sabbatical, Gap year, Education or Caregiver,” Owens says. 

“You don’t need to give an explanation if you’re not comfortable. You’re just accounting for the missing time on the resume to keep eyebrows from raising.”

4. Balance your expectations

Better than lying to get a job that isn't the right fit for you is to find a position that really matches your skills and qualifications. Once hired, you can take the opportunity to invest in learning and development, and grow professionally.

“Your experience is what it is. You can’t change it to fit a job by next week or month. Nor should you apologize for the experience you’ve accumulated,” says Owens. 

Keep in mind that being rejected can also be a blessing in disguise. “If an employer can’t accept you, flaws and all, see that as a bullet dodged and keep it moving. Because face it, faking the funk long-term is exhausting.”

I lied on my resume: What now?

So, you went for it, and now are wondering, “How do I recover from lying on my resume?” There are two ways out of this situation: 

#1: Work on acquiring the knowledge you faked

“If it’s something small, you can fake it until you make it. Leverage your learning curve to get up to speed so no one’s the wiser,” says Owens. 

So, let's say you lied about having proficiency in Excel, but you only know the basics. Start online classes and get the knowledge you need.

#2: Come clean about it and face the consequences

“If it’s something bigger that may be discovered during a background check, such as education, certifications, credentials, and lawsuits, it’s better to come clean and be prepared for the consequences,” says Owens. “Your honesty may lessen the fallout and help keep your reputation intact.”

Lying on a resume: FAQs

Is it OK to exaggerate on a resume?

It's definitely not recommended. The best approach is to leverage your past experiences and highlight what is relevant to the job you're going for. If you exaggerate and don't keep up with the daily demands expected from you, it can result in your termination.

Can you lie on your resume about work history?

Again, not recommended at all. Employers and hiring managers will verify this information and check out your references. If you get caught in a lie, you're likely going to lose the opportunity and be blacklisted from that company.