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Resume Fraud: The Truth About Lying

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently posted an ad for electricians experienced in working with Sontag connectors. 170 responses were received from hopeful applicants, despite the fact that the Sontag connector does not exist. The Port Authority placed this ad to expose just how many applicants falsify information on resumes.

Although an exact number cannot be determined, studies like these have shown that between 10% and 30% of all applicants purposely mislead or lie on their resumes. Moreover, many employment experts argue that this number is on the rise. "I think the competition for jobs has increased to such a level that there's something of a desperation about the process," noted Pamela Koch, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources for Pennsylvania-based Environmental Compliance Services. "As the average time to get a job has grown from three months to nine months, we see more people taking liberties to present themselves favorably," added Lorayne Dollet, Vice President of Hay Management Consulting, Chicago. But employers do not have to be fooled.

There are several red flags an employer should keep an eye out for when reviewing an applicant's resume. Here are a few common signs that prospective employees might be lying:

• Gaps in employment history
• Long verbal resumes with no dates
• Listing of college work opposed to actual degrees
• Job titles and job responsibilities that don't seem to fit together
• Contradictory or vague information