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Can you lie on your resume about your degree to avoid bots in the first round.

My friend in the department is about to graduate with his PhD in genetics. He is trying to apply to industry jobs, but is afraid his resume will be trashed by the bots because all the jobs he wants require a different but similar degree, for which he has taken classes, and has experience in, but he cannot claim a title. He's has already applied for 2 jobs with the false resume, and now will probably also lie for a job with a pretty big global pharma company. In conclusion, how fucked is he?

TLDR: friend lied on his resume when applying for industry jobs, is he fucked?

What Are the Consequences of Lying on a Resume?

Lying on a Resume | Resume.com

Lying about your experience, skills, education or other abilities on your resume could disqualify you from getting a job or even get you fired from your current role. The better you understand the consequences of lying on your resume, the more you’ll be able to stick to the facts for your future applications. This article details the consequences of lying on your resume and answers related questions on the matter.

Is lying on a resume acceptable?

Lying on your resume is completely unacceptable. Whether it’s a blatant lie, an omission or you’re exaggerating the truth, lying is frowned upon in all forms. Even if you think lying on your resume could help your resume stand out, it can lead to dire consequences. Hiring managers can easily determine if you’ve provided false information and once you’re caught, it can lead to embarrassment and tarnish your reputation.

Tips to avoid lying on your resume

If you’re worried about not having enough qualifications, you can consider expressing your willingness to learn new skills. Hiring managers also look for candidates who have transferable skills that can be utilized in this new position. Therefore, you don’t have to necessarily know absolutely everything that an employer is looking for, though, you should know most. It’s a much better idea to be upfront about your expertise and admit that you don’t know a particular skill than lie about it.

Consequences of lying on your resume

Here are some of the consequences that could result from lying on your resume:

Possible termination

If you lie on your resume and your employer finds out, it’s possible that you could face termination. When employers hire you, they trust that you’ve provided the right information and verify it to the best of their ability. If it turns out that you lied, this trust is gone and will be hard to rebuild. This will lead to your employer questioning your character and wonder not only what else you’ve lied about, but also what you might lie about in the future.

Unable to perform job duties

If you list skills on your resume that you do not have in actuality, this could lead to you not being qualified for the job. This will result in you not being able to perform the job duties or meet your employer’s expectations. Once your employer notices that you’re not able to complete your various responsibilities, they could become suspicious about your qualifications and conduct further research to verify your abilities.

Damage to your reputation

Lying on your resume could also lead to much embarrassment and potential damage to your reputation. Your employer—and potentially your coworkers and employment references—won’t want to be associated with you after determining you lied. It’s also possible that more and more people will find out that you lied, further adding to your humiliation and a tarnished reputation. One lie on your resume has the potential to follow you throughout your professional career.

Loss of legal claims

If you lie on your resume, it’s possible that you’ll lose the right to take legal action against your former employer if applicable. For example, if you plan to sue your former employer for discrimination, you could end up losing this right. False information in an employee-employer relationship could end up not being actionable by law.

Criminal charges

Though it’s not common, it’s possible that you could face criminal charges for providing false information on your resume or job application. This is especially the case if you’re applying for a job with a state or federal employer. In some cases, you may be charged with a criminal fraud offense.

Civil liability

You could also face civil liabilities by lying on your resume. For example, if you created a structure that ended up hurting someone, this could lead to you being sued for not following the right building codes and letting your employer know that you had no expertise in this line of work. This may also fall on your employer for hiring you in the first place.

Loss of your license

If you lie on your resume, this could result in a loss of your license. For example, if you claim to have certain skills as a surgeon but wind up hurting someone because of your inability to perform a surgery correctly, you could face serious charges. This could include a malpractice lawsuit and the loss of your medical license.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some common questions in regards to lying on your resume:

What should you do if you lied on your resume?

For starters, you can update your resume, tell the hiring manager that you noticed some errors and present them with an updated copy. You can also tell the truth. Though this might disqualify you from getting the job, it would avoid further consequences down the road if you were to get caught. You can also withdraw your application from the job you’re applying for. Though you won’t get the job, you won’t have to let the recruiter know why and you’ll avoid any future consequences. Lastly, you could do nothing, however, it is uncertain what could happen if you go this route—especially if the recruiter tries to verify some of the information you provided.

What are some common lies found on resumes?

There are a number of different lies you can find on a resume. Some common ones are found in regards to job titles, skills, job duties and the academic degree earned. Candidates can also lie in regards to the dates they worked for an employer.

How can an employer discover you’ve lied on your resume?

Employers can determine that you’ve lied on your resume by verifying the information on your resume. They can do this by simply reading your resume and seeing that your job titles seem questionable based on your career level, for example. If an employer requires you to take a skills test and your results indicate that you didn’t pass, then they would know that your actual skills don’t match what you presented on your resume. An employer can also conduct a background check to confirm your education or call your references to verify any details on your resume or job application.

If you need help writing a resume, use our data-backed resume builder .

COMMENTS

  1. You absolutely should lie on your resume : r/jobs

    In our modern workforce, you should lie on your resume all the time. Whether you fully make up everything or just exaggerate your skills. Many employers have insane requirements and judge people for unfair reasons (job gaps, not outgoing enough). They require 5+ years experience to do stuff you can figure out in 10 minutes (sales, retail ...

  2. Lying on Indeed job applications? : r/WorkReform

    People lie on their resumes all the time. It's up to you to decide if it's the right thing to do. If called out in an interview, you could say that you weren't truthful because you didn't want to be weeded out, and that you feel like you could really contribute to the company ect. It might work. 19.

  3. r/resumes on Reddit: How risky is it to lie about previous employment's

    Generally not a good idea to lie, especially not for a 2-month difference in employment. Your lack of responses could be due to how you've presented the information or to you not meeting the basic qualifications of the job. 10 months to 1 year is not going to make a difference and it's certainly not worth the risk.

  4. What it actually means to lie on your resume : r/resumes

    If someone is telling you to outright lie about jobs you've never had, or schools you never went to, do not listen to them. However, "lying" on a resume isn't illegal per se, so here is what it actually means to embellish and how to do it without blacklisting yourself. If your GPA is less than 3.5/4.0 and the job doesn't require a GPA, don't ...

  5. You absolutely should lie on your resume : r/recruitinghell

    ADMIN MOD. You absolutely should lie on your resume. In our modern workforce, you should lie on your resume all the time. Whether you fully make up everything or just exaggerate your skills. Many employers have insane requirements and judge people for unfair reasons (job gaps, not outgoing enough). They require 5+ years experience to do stuff ...

  6. Is it better to have an Indeed Resume or a PDF? : r/IndeedJobs

    This is the Unofficial Community of the App Indeed, where we can discuss about how effective it is while Job searching, and sharing or asking for other People Experiences. And even: - Discussing about Job Scams - Companies with too High Expectation on a Position - Sharing funny low paid positions - Or Helping each other by finding the right job ...

  7. I think it's time for me to start lying on my resume. Bad idea ...

    If you want to lie on your resume I can't. To make more money when you're applying to a job you should follow this framework: go to Glassdoor, salary.com, levels.fyi or LinkedIn to find out what the average pay is for your job. ask the recruiter what the salary range is OR what the midpoint for the job is.

  8. Should I hire a candidate who lied on his resume? : r/recruiting

    Once you get your official HR employment verification, direct or contract, or lack thereof, I wouldn't waste any more of my time. If the candidate indeed fibbed, turn them back into the sea. If the candidate has a good explanation like a contract job or they didn't know how to express it on their resume, then explore next steps.

  9. How much lying can I do on my resume? : r/jobs

    Few weeks +/- for past company start/end dates should be ok. "highlighting" skills or tasks that match with job posting is highly recommended. No one recommends "lying" on the resume but this is not that. Resume has only so much space you need to tailor to include only skills/keywords that match job posting.

  10. You should definitely lie on your resume and job inter. I ...

    I don't recommend putting the fake degrees down on the application. I worked at a place that did science crap. I was in IT. At any rate there was a merger and the new company checked all the degrees. About a bunch of people were shown the door. Some of them had been there for over a decade. I guess lying about making your Phd is a thing in bio ...

  11. Lying on Your Resume: How Employers Can Spot Dishonesty

    Key takeaways: People lie on their resumes to supplement a lack of experience and appear more qualified in competitive job markets. Lying on your resume may result in consequences such as termination or legal ramifications. Employers can tell you're lying on a resume by conducting background checks and contacting your references.

  12. Definitely lie on your resume if you can : r/jobs

    Get the Reddit app Scan this QR code to download the app now. Or check it out in the app stores     TOPICS. Internet Culture (Viral) Amazing; Animals & Pets ... Definitely lie on your resume if you can . Onboarding Just landed a 70k a year (with commission, 90k) with a big internet and phone service provider. I said I was a college ...

  13. What Happens If You Lie on Your Resume?

    The most common parts of resumes to lie about include education, previous dates of employment and previous salary. Other common lies include: Exaggerating numbers, such as increasing revenue 50%. Inflating titles. Lying about technical abilities. Claiming language fluency. Using a fake address.

  14. Should i lie in my resume even if it's for small job like ...

    This is Reddit's very own solution-hub. Members Online • Zealousideal_Diet33. ADMIN MOD Should i lie in my resume even if it's for small job like summer job thing . I recently applied for retail jobs at stores like Clio's and Adidas in a nearby mall. After submitting my resume, I received feedback from one of the managers (it was the last ...

  15. [Serious] People who have exaggerated or lied on their resume ...

    I noticed some people saying you'd feel guilty for lying. I think that's absolute nonsense. I agree 100% Remember all those times you got straight up lied to and the job description was not even close to what you're doing? Companies lie to you in the job description. Lie to them on your resume. I've personally never done it or have felt the ...

  16. Lying on Your Resume? Here's How You'll Get Caught

    7. Your body language betrays you. You might think you're an impeccable liar. But subtle body language cues in the interview could be giving away your resume lies. "A lack of eye contact or constant fidgeting may suggest dishonesty," noted OfficeTeam, though those behaviors aren't guarantees of dishonesty.

  17. Do employers actually look at indeed type resumes? : r/jobs

    Im almost less interested in an indeed resume than having no resume at all. If you don't have a true resume, you're hurting yourself imo. ... Welcome to /r/orangecounty, the Reddit community for all things related to Orange County, California. This is your one-stop-shop for discussions, news, events, and local happenings in this sunny Southern ...

  18. Dangers of Lying on a Resume (With Effects and Solution)

    Lying on a resume involves fabricating or omitting essential details on your resume. The two broad categories of lies include lies of commission and omission. Lies of commission happen when candidates have false statements on their resumes. For example, a candidate may list design as a skill when they're not knowledgeable about it.

  19. Is lying on your resume bad? -USA : r/Architects

    I finished undergrad in 2022 and started my masters fall of 2022. I just graduated. I also worked for a little bit over a year. I worked at one architecture firm and a big drywall company.

  20. When did you lie on a resume and how did that work out?

    Attention! If you plan to give examples of a bad/inappropriate email address on a resume, do not post an email address - even if it's obviously fake, rather use something like "[childish email here]" or "@example.com," otherwise your comment will not be seen. We do not allow any type of personal information, even if it's supposed to be fake.

  21. Can you lie on your resume about your degree to avoid bots in ...

    The resume could be silent on the issue but that may be enough for a bot to kick it out. Generally you can't go too far from the truth on a professional-level resume because there will be basic fact-checking done at a later stage. Your friend could say "Genetics with focus on XYZ" to make bots happy.

  22. What Are the Consequences of Lying on a Resume?

    Loss of your license. If you lie on your resume, this could result in a loss of your license. For example, if you claim to have certain skills as a surgeon but wind up hurting someone because of your inability to perform a surgery correctly, you could face serious charges. This could include a malpractice lawsuit and the loss of your medical ...

  23. How To Avoid A Lie On Your Resume (With Reasons Not To)

    It is honest to do so, prevents misunderstandings and gives the employer a correct estimate of your capabilities. List the skills you are most proficient in at the top of the skills section. You can list the skills with which you have less expertise below these or exclude them altogether. 5. Specify your achievements.