When it comes to resumes, telling a little lie is all too common. In fact, a new survey from the online career resources platform Resume Genius found that 48% of job seekers either lied or have considered lying on their resumes.
In the 2024 Lying on Resumes Report, based on an original survey of 1,000 managers, 29% of those surveyed admitted to lying on their resume. While 14% admitted to blatantly lying, 15% said they’d told small lies or made minor exaggerations.
“Our findings show that resume dishonesty is a common temptation, especially when job seekers feel pressured to appear more qualified or conceal career gaps,” says Geoffrey Scott, senior hiring manager at Resume Genius.
The two most common lies were to cover up a career gap (31%) and exaggerate the length of time employed in a job (30%). Meanwhile, lying about tech (24%) and language skills (22%) were also common.
Some of the most dishonest admitted to making up entire companies and positions.
Men were 1.5 times more likely to lie than women—usually over job titles—and of the generations, Gen Z were the biggest liars of the bunch. 56% admitted they’ve or considered lying on a resume, followed by Millennials (50%), Gen X (40%), and Boomers (37%).
Eva Chan, lead career expert at Resume Genius, says that with today’s automated systems, job seekers may feel like they have to lie to get ahead, but it isn’t a smart move.
Related: ChatGPT Is Writing Lots of Job Applications, But Companies Are Quickly Catching On. Here’s How.
“While this pressure to impress employers can be intense, lying on your resume is never the solution,” Chan said. “It’s always possible to get caught, and the long-term consequences, like a damaged reputation or lost job opportunities, aren’t worth the risk.”
Chan suggests focusing on your strengths and “showing you’re continuing to upskill” to stand out with employers.
