Resume Lies. Are they OK? (Part 1)

Resume: OK to Lie? (Part 1)

Is it OK to lie on your resume? What if, in your judgment, the job want-ad has an unreasonable requirement, e.g. Must have college degree; Must have 5 years job related experience, etc.?

Truth be told - you don’t have a degree but you know you could ace the job.

Realistically, you will never be called for an interview. Someone, or a computer, will probably dump your resume before the recruiter sees it - because you don’t meet the minimum specs. And then you will get the predictable computer generated letter “Your background is impressive but …….”

So what to do?

'Fergedaboudit' or - maybe you just award yourself a degree on your resume. After all, don’t colleges give credit based on ‘life experiences’? If you get the interview you are sure you can wow them with your qualifications, even if they check the college.

Room for lies?

Resumes have inherent limitations. They cannot completely define your background, talents and skills in a 1 or 2 page fact/date-oriented summary. Critical personal attributes such as personality, enthusiasm, intelligence, common sense, supervisory abilities, strategic thinking, etc., simply don’t show up well in a resume.

These are, however, the traits that can overcome most experience shortcomings. These are things best judged in the interview. To do this you of course have to get to the interview.

And that’s the problem.

“Embellishment” - a workaround solution?

A bit of puffery and self-promotion in a resume is expected and is not offensive to recruiters. Indeed it is expected. You’re trying to get the recruiter’s attention. The resume is meant to present your virtues not to expose all your warts. The recruiter is not your confessor or counselor. S/he is your negotiation counterpart and you are both trying to identify why you need one another - or don’t.

Resume purpose

The resume has one major purpose and a few minor ones. It is a sales-brochure designed to get you to the interview. It is not unlike product-brochures of companies, emphasizing the good and avoiding mention of shortcomings. You’re selling a product - you. However, such literary license can also encourage blurring the barrier between truth and lie. That is a risky line to cross.

Our role is not to censure anyone for messing with the facts in resume preparation. We will point out the risks - as well as show ways to be artful but truthful.

That is where Part 2 of this series of hubs on 'resume lies' comes in.

So, hope to see you in the next hub, within a day or so. We will explore in greater detail the world of resume lies, embellishment, ‘start with a clean slate’ truth, good truths, bad truths, purposeful wording, and flat-out lying - all with the idea of helping employers and candidates get together for their mutual benefit.

We will also ask our hub readers to share their expertise and insights, if they wish.