🤥 Lying on your resume - the reality
Jun 24, 2024
Brace yourself for a shocking revelation.
A whopping 70% of job seekers have lied on their resumes, according to a study featured in Forbes magazine. 
So what exactly are job seekers lying about?
Do men and women lie equally?
And, most importantly, if you choose to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, are you putting yourself at a disadvantage?
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Todays Topics
- That’s Interesting: What job seekers lie about
- Monday Mindset: Attitude is the X-Factor
- A Career Hack: Winning at job applications without playing dirty
- Feeling stuck? Book your Free Career Growth Call
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What Job Seekers Lie About
The 7 most common lies that job seekers tell on their resume include:
- 52% > Embellishing responsibilities in general
- 52% > Their job title (to make it sound more impressive)
- 45% > How many people they actually managed
- 37% > The length of time they were employed at a job
- 31% > The name of the company that employed them
- 24% > Making up the entire position
- 17% > Inflating metrics or accomplishments they achieved (e.g. sales numbers)
Seems like nothing's off limits…
It’s wild that nearly a quarter of job seekers who lie on their resume make up entire positions out of thin air.
But gender plays a role too…
A study from StandOutCV found that men lie on their resumes more than women do.
This raises troubling questions about the impact of dishonesty on gender inequality in the workplace.
To compound this, SEEK’s latest data indicates that the number of applications per job ad rose 7.7% in April 2024, and are 72.6% higher year on year.
It’s likely we’ll see more people lying, now that market is getting hotter.
Should you consider lying too?
The thing is, with a lot of competition for jobs and unrealistic job requirements from employers, perhaps it’s not surprising that most people have lied on their resumes.
Is it just an example of fake it until you make it?
Plus, if everybody’s doing it, are you putting yourself at a disadvantage if you choose the moral high ground?
These are tough questions that you may grapple with, especially when the pressure to stand out in a crowded job market is high.
However, before you decide to “embellish” your resume, consider the potential consequences.
If a company hires you and then finds out you have lied on your application, they will likely consider terminating you.
There is a chance they will find out through the reference checks, or your LinkedIn profile might highlight these discrepancies…
Which would likely come up during the interview process.
Legalpath.com.au suggests that ‘if you lie on your resume, you can potentially face legal action based on fraud’ and ‘some employers (notably Government Departments) have now introduced a $5,000 fine for lying on a resume’...
Also, ‘A Judge in South Australia has sentenced a woman to at least 1 year in prison for lying on her resume’.
Plus, for people who aren’t psychopaths, lying is inherently stressful.
There is a considerable risk of ruining your reputation in a close-knit industry or community.
So, in a world where deception seems to be the default, how can you stand out without compromising your integrity?
In this week’s Career Hack, I’ll teach you how to win at job applications without playing dirty.
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Book A 15 Minute Career Growth Session With Me To Design Your Next Level Career Plan
If you’re a professional woman who is tired of tolerating your job, then you might just be a few strategies and tactics away from getting the clarity and confidence to land a role that not only excites you, but aligns with your life 
When we talk, together we will...
→ Take a look at your current situation to see what is/isn’t working
→ Identify what’s possible for you and your career in the next 90 days and beyond.
→ Uncover the #1 roadblock to getting the clarity and confidence to land your dream job.
→ Develop a 3 step action plan that will get you to your career goal ASAP - without the burnout, overwhelm or confusion.
Book a Career Growth Session Now
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Attitude, Attitude, Attitude!
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Winning at job applications without playing dirty
Instead of exaggerating your experience or even lying on your resume...
I want your focus turned to the most important thing a recruiter is looking for.
Yes they want experience…
Yes they want education…
But the thing they REALLY want is drive and attitude, let me explain…
Your drive and attitude is key!
If you’re a manager who’s hiring, do you want someone who is experienced, but:
- Doesn’t ask questions when they are unsure?
- Doesn’t have the drive to meet deadlines?
- Doesn’t collaborate with colleagues?
- Doesn’t prioritise the things that matter to the business?
- Isn’t a positive influence on the team?
- Doesn’t represent well with senior leaders?
- Isn’t punctual?
- Isn’t known for delivering?
Instead, what you really want is someone who:
- Is curious and keen to learn
- Can take feedback
- Is willing to do what it takes to meet deadlines
- Will ask questions if unsure
- Is passionate about delivering great work
- Has pride in the outcomes they deliver
- Is a great influence on those around them
- Has leadership qualities
It’s a recruiter's job to find great candidates who have this great drive and attitude, because if they go for just experience and education alone, they’re unlikely to win repeat business as the candidate is often not the best fit long term.
In fact, it’s actually really easy to find experienced people. LinkedIn has great tools to help recruiters find experienced people very quickly.
However, it’s quite hard to find people who can prove they have great drive and attitude.
And, often people say they have these attributes but it doesn’t translate into when they start the job and the employee is left disappointed.
This is why recruiters put candidates through certain tests, questionnaires, interviews, second and third interviews.
One simple, yet very effective way to demonstrate this during the application process (without having to lie on your resume) is to reach out to the recruiter and ask specific questions about the job.
Things like;
- What outcomes would the company ideally like the role to produce in 6 to 12 months?
- If I was successful, what is the one thing I could learn prior to starting that would have me hit the ground running?
- If talking to the manager, ask what their favourite thing about working there is
This approach does two things;
- First, by asking these kinds of questions it starts to build a relationship with the hiring team. They’re way more likely to review your resume or invite you to an interview purely by doing this.
- Second, you’ll get invaluable intel to put into your resume. The exact things they’re looking for can be filtered throughout (again, without having to lie).
After hiring for a bucket load of roles over the years I have always seen this as a great indicator of how the person will behave and perform in the role.
The problem is, it’s not always easy to know how to do this well (or confidently).
If you want my personalised help to stand out in your application process, I’d love to talk with you.
You can book a 15 minute Career Growth Call with me and we’ll work out a really great plan to get clear on your next role and to ace your applications.
Find time in my calendar here.
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Cheers & Claps: Our Success Stories
Thank you for such a lovely review Dhani!
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Wrapping up another fantastic week! A huge thank you for subscribing and diving into our newsletter. 
We trust it sparked some inspiration, motivation, or perhaps offered a delightful distraction.
Em & the PY Team
P.S. Whenever you’re ready... here are 4 ways I can help you accelerate your career:
1. Book your FREE Career Growth Session
If you’re a professional woman who is tired of tolerating your job, then you might just be a few strategies and tactics away from getting the clarity and confidence to land a role that not only excites you, but aligns with your life. Talk to us today to see what's possible for you - Click Here
2. Join my FREE Career Clarity & Confidence Group
Inside, we’ll be sharing with you how to get the clarity and confidence to secure a career that not only excites you, but aligns with your life — Click Here
3. Join me for a FREE Online Career Workshop
I’ll be teaching you how to discover your perfect job, confidently go for it & get it (without endless searching on SEEK, the headache of perfecting a resume, or struggling with interview nerves) - attend for FREE here.
4. Apply for our Thriving Leaders Club
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