It’s an unfortunate reality even in the best of times; but lying on a resume is even more tempting for job seekers who hope that a little “white” lie will be just enough to give their an edge over other job candidates during a recession.  But for a recruiter, sending a job candidate with fibs on their resume to an employer can damage their reputation, so it’s in the recruiter’s best interests to makes sure that the resume is truthful.  So how does a recruiter spot a resume lie? 

One of the most common areas where a job candidate lies is in the educational history.  Maybe they have a degree; but they did not attend the University they claim they attended, or maybe they didn’t get all of the honors and awards they say they did during their college years.  One easy way to find out if they are telling the truth is to call the college and verify that they actually attended and graduated.  This will only take a few minutes.

Work history is an area of the resume which is often peppered with micro-lies which can go undetected at first glance.  Many job seekers change employment dates, position titles and even responsibilities.  The only way to find out if the candidate is stretching the truth is to call their former employer.  Ask about exact dates of employment, the official title of their position and the job candidate’s responsibilities at the former job.

Salary history is another area where job candidates stretch the truth.  While many employers refuse to discuss a former employee’s salary, if the job candidate’s experience and former responsibilities do not fit the salary, then there is a high probability that it is not accurate. Also, if a job candidate’s salary history shows a huge jump in salary from one year to the next, that should be a red flag.  If in doubt, question the job candidate about their stated salary history.

 Editors note:  Our Hot Spot picked up this related story on 5/21.  Click here to see the fall out from one attorneys 'fake' resume.  READ