Why You Should Keep Your Resume Honest

Why You Should Keep Your Resume HonestWhy You Should Keep Your Resume HonestIf youve been job searching for a long time and notlage getting many offers, you might be tempted tolie on your resume. This is always a bad idea. Theres never a good reason not to be honest when youre writing your resume. Maybe you wont get caught, but what if you are? Not only is stretching the truth on your resume the wrong thing to do, but its likely to come back to bite you. In the worst-case scenario, youll get caught, eitherimmediately, during abackground check,or years down the road, and youlllose the offer or the job. Its not unlikely history is full of cases of successful people whose careers were undone because of a falsified education credential or an invented job title on theirresume. Theres a lot to lose and nothing to gain by embellishing your resume to get chosen for an interview. But even if you never get caught, lying on your resume can destroy your career by inches. For one thing, youd have to spend the rest of your time at that job hoping that no one ever finds out. Plus, youll have secured the job under false pretenses, which means that you might not be qualified to do the work and succeed. Get the Facts Straight Even if you take a leap and decide its worth fudging the truth and taking a chance on getting caught, be koranvers you know what you put on your resume. Ive interviewed candidates who either had a really bad memory when it came to their employment history or who had fudged more than a few details. Unfortunately for them, it only took a quickreference checkto confirm that their resume wasnt accurate. Its also important to get the facts straight. When you list results- goals youve met, sales numbers youve made, anything quantifiable- be koranvers thatwhat you tell the interviewer matches whats on your resume. Again, if youre not honest, its going to be an issue for potential employers. Even if you are honest, its important to be clear and accurate about y our work history and achievements and to remember what youve put down on your application materials. Its possible to be totally forthright and factually correct and still make a mistake about your dates of employment or a job title from ten years ago. If youre not certain about the details of youremployment history, do some digging before you send out your resume and cover letter. Verify dates with the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and old employers so that you can be 100 percent sure that youre presenting the correct information. Many employers conduct some sort ofemployment history verification you dont want to look asthough youre lying when youre telling the truth. For the same reason, its equally important to go over the details of your history and achievements with former colleagues and bosses who writereferencesand/orrecommendations. Dont trust that their memories are the same as yours. How to be Honest on Your Resume and Get the Job The good ne ws is that you dont have to lie to make a good impression. With a little honest finessing, your actualexperience and skills can help you get the job. David Adams, Vice President of Learning and Development of Adecco Group North America, offers these tips Be honest.When it comes to resumes, potential employers are on the lookout for exaggerated skills or results. Grossly overstating your accomplishments can send up a red flag that may come back to haunt you during an interview- or eliminate your chances of securing an interview in the first place. So, be honest even if your embellishments make it past a recruiter or potential employer, youre setting yourself up for failure by misrepresenting yourself and your abilities. Quantify your results.Wherever possible, include dollar amounts. If you managed a sizable budget or inked a big deal, be sure to mention this.Employers want to see what youve done, andnumbers are a great way to show them. Know the numbers.Likewise, if the number of pe ople you managed or thenumberofprograms you developed was significant, focus on that information. Showing that youve made good use of your time at another job helps employers visualize what you can do for them. Dont bury the lead.With hundreds of resumes to go through, hiring managers canonlyspend a limited amount of time skimming each one. You need to get your message across right away and convince them thatyour skills and experience are what theyre seeking. Make sure that key information is either listed first or presented in a manner that makes it stand out. Mention off-the-job experience.Be sure to highlight any skills, education, community/volunteer work, and additional schooling that pertain to your particular job area or that a potential employer might view as an asset. Include any accomplishmentsandnotable professional awardsor recognition you have earned. Professionalism is key.Including photographs, hobbies unrelated to the job, or personal information is unnecessary.