Want to Google something? Go ahead and type “lying on.”

As for the very first word to appear? That would be “resume.”

Believe it or not, people frequently lie on their resumes. As in a lot. We won’t get into the startling stats; the whole take-away here underscores the importance of being honest on that CV. Whether people stretch a date or blatantly lie about a degree they never earned, none of it leads to anything good. In fact, Marquet International, a security consulting firm, compiled a list of the most common lies.

People in the resume liars club have forged any or all of the following:

1. Stretching employment dates.
2. Inflating past accomplishments and skills.
3. Enhancing job titles and responsibilities.
4. Exaggerating educational background to the tune of degrees that haven’t been earned.
5. Inventing periods of unexplained gaps.
6. Omitting past employment altogether.
7. Faking credentials.
8. Falsifying reasons for leaving prior employment.
9. Providing false references.
10. Misrepresenting a military record.

In case you’re tempted to stretch a credential here or title there, trust us. It’s not worth it. If it’s caught during the background check, your offer will likely be rescinded. Some companies conduct the background check after the new hire starts working and in that case, imagine the disgrace to leave a job you already started! Even fudging the start or end date by one month could be problematic.

As for other areas such as embellishing responsibilities, it’s unlikely the background check team will catch it but why not be completely honest and transparency about your candidacy? Besides, a recruiter and hiring manager can usually spot when there’s stretch  involved if they ask for detailed responsibilities on that CV during an interview and it’s not explained fully.

Just a friendly reminder from your pals here at MJD.