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Honesty is the best policy, right, Ben Franklin?
Indeed, but that hasn’t deterred many from making intentional misstatements — that is, lying — during the hiring process.
From exaggerating skills to misrepresenting experience, job seekers are often tempted to bend the truth to stand out, according to a survey of 2,000 conducted by Resume Builder.
It’s more prevalent than we might think.
Some key findings, include:
- 44% of Americans admit to lying during the hiring process.
- Common places for dishonesty: resumes (24%), interviews (19%), and cover letters (6%).
- Lies often involve skills, experience, responsibilities, and job tenures.
- Shockingly, 9% have lied about disability status, 7% about race or ethnicity, and 6% about veteran status.
- 40% say their lies helped them land a job, with most believing it advanced their career and boosted their salary.
Who Lies the Most?
Millennials lead the way in resume lies (29%), followed by Gen X (27%) and Gen Z (20%). Men are also more likely than women to lie (30% vs. 20%). The most frequent lies? Years of experience, skills, and job durations.
Interviews are another stage ripe for dishonesty, with 19% admitting to lying. Most common lies include overstating skills (41%) and exaggerating responsibilities (32%).
The Consequences of Dishonesty
“Lying during the hiring process can create long-term trust issues and damage one’s professional reputation,” warns Stacie Haller, Chief Career Advisor at Resume Builder.
While some candidates feel dishonesty is necessary to compete in today’s job market, Haller emphasizes the need for employers to revamp hiring practices. She suggests eliminating outdated requirements that don’t correlate with job success to reduce the pressure on candidates to lie.
Honesty Still Matters
While the urge to exaggerate may be strong, transparency is vital for building trust and maintaining credibility. After all, trust lost is hard to regain.
Read it all here.