As competition for jobs heats up, more applicants may try to obtain an unfair advantage. Here are the five most common resume lies HR needs to watch for, according to a study by HireRight:
- Changed dates of past employment — Up to 34% of job applicants fudge the dates of their previous jobs to cover gaps in their employment. The good news: This is one of the easiest fibs to catch through reference checks.
- Inflated salaries — One way some dishonest candidates attempt to bargain for better starting pay: lying about how much they’re currently making. For that reason, some companies ask candidates for a previous W-2 form or pay stub before they’re hired.
- Phony degrees — About 20% of resumes have some discrepancy regarding education and other qualifications. They range from degrees listed that candidates never completely earned to degrees purchased from so-called online “diploma mills.”
- Criminal records — About 11% of all candidate background checks turn up a criminal conviction. Also, the firm warns, many convicted criminals apply for jobs exclusively at smaller companies, since they’re the least likely to perform full background checks.
- Illicit drug use — Roughly 42% of Americans admit to using an illegal drug during their lifetimes. That’s why many experts recommend drug screening for applicants, especially where safety is a concern.
What’s the biggest or craziest resume lie you’ve ever caught?
