What Percentage Of All Resumes Contain Dishonesty?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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In fact,

75 percent of

employers have caught candidates lying on their , according to a 2017 CareerBuilder survey. It's a worrying and unsettling statistic with the most common areas of deception being candidates embellishing skill sets (62 percent) and responsibilities (54 percent).

What percentage of resumes are lies?


Thirty-six percent

of Americans in a new ResumeLab survey admitted to lying on their resumes.

How common is it to lie on resume?

It is estimated that

40% of people lie on their resumes

, and three out of four employers have caught a lie on someone's . The most common parts of resumes to lie about include education, previous dates of employment and previous salary.

What percentage of resumes contain false information?


46% of resumes submitted by job applicants

contain some form of false information – with 70% of college students saying they would lie on their resume in order to get a job. 27% of applicants give false references on a resume, whereas 40% give inflated salary claims.

How many people have lied on their resume?


1 in 3 Americans

Lie About Work Experience and Dates of Employment. Of the Americans who admitted to lying on a resume, 38% said the lie concerned their work experience. The next most popular answer was dates of employment, at 31%.

Can I lie about dates on my resume?

As such, your reputation and integrity can become tarnished. Consider these points:

Fudging dates is lying

: No employer wants to hire a dishonest employee. … Finally, employers can fire you months after employment if they deem that fudging the dates on your resume was an inexcusable offense.

Can you go to jail for lying on your resume?

Lying on your resume

can land you in jail

, get you fired, or leave you without legal recourse against an employer.

What if you lied on your resume?

If you're caught lying before you're hired, you won't get a job offer. If the organization discovers you lied after you've been put on the

payroll, you can be fired

. Lying on your resume can also impact your future employment. It can be harder to get hired when you have a termination for cause in your work history.

Can I lie about my education on a resume?

Lying on your resume about your education level in order to obtain a position or advance in your career is NOT okay and chances are,

it will catch up to you

. … So, to anyone who is looking for a new career now or may do so in the future; remember to be honest about your education and experience.

Why do recruiters lie?

The biggest reason recruiters lie? They

have major conflict avoidance and are not willing to tell you the truth

, which is usually that there is something wrong with you based on what they are looking for, and, they don't want to hurt your feelings.

Does everyone lie on their CV?

Applying for a new job can be stressful, and according to one new survey, that stress is

leading a majority of job seekers to lie on their resumes in

order to stand out. … The survey included responses from 400 job applicants as well as 400 hiring managers, recruiters and other human resources professionals.

Is it illegal to lie about having a degree?

In some states, if you claim to have a college degree you don't actually have,

it's considered a misdemeanor

. This could mean a fine of up to $2,000 and a sentence of up to six months in jail. In other states, the same offense is a higher misdemeanor (which could be classified as a felony).

Should I lie about being fired?

Telling the truth on a job application or in an interview — even if painful — can actually endear you to a prospective employer, particularly if you explain the circumstances that led to the termination. Don't volunteer the fact that you were fired unless specifically asked — but don't

lie about it

if you are.

Can you lie about salary in interview?

Even so, it's a widely accepted truth of the industry that many people inflate their salaries when applying for jobs. … Lying about your salary in order to achieve more money from a new employer can backfire.

What percentage of employers check education?

So, Do Employers Check Degrees? Only about

34 percent

of employers check the educational qualifications listed on resumes, according to a 2004 study by the Society for Human Resource Management—even though the association found that 25 percent of people inflated their educational achievements on resumes.

Do people lie about experience?

Nearly half of workers surveyed by the staffing company say they know someone who

lied on their resume

. That's a 25% increase from 2011. … Employers are clearly clued into the fact that some applicants are either exaggerating their experience or handing over resumes that are more fiction than fact.

Leah Jackson
Author
Leah Jackson
Leah is a relationship coach with over 10 years of experience working with couples and individuals to improve their relationships. She holds a degree in psychology and has trained with leading relationship experts such as John Gottman and Esther Perel. Leah is passionate about helping people build strong, healthy relationships and providing practical advice to overcome common relationship challenges.