In the aftermath of last weeks firing of MIT Dean of Admissions, Merilee Jones for misrepresenting academic credentials on her resume 28 years ago, I became curious just how prevalent lying on resumes has become.

The numbers are sobering, especially if you are a hiring manager or HR staffing professional. Depending on what source you reference, anywhere between a third to half of applicant resumes are not truthful and above board. According to a survey by CareerBuilder.com conducted October 2006, over half of HR managers said they had flagged a lie on an applicant’s resume either during the interview or upon verifying information. Not surprisingly, 93 percent of those caught were not hired. ADP Screening and Selection Services, a unit of the Roseland, N.J.-based ADP payroll and benefits managing company, says that in performing 2.6 million background checks in 2001, it found that 44 percent of applicants lied about their work histories, 41 percent lied about their education, and 23 percent falsified credentials or licenses.

What is astounding to me that applicants lie so blatantly on the items that are easiest to check and verify by falsely laying claim to college degrees they don’t have, jobs that never existed, or employers made up out of thin air.

While not everyone may be caught and life will go on with none the wiser, why risk it at all? Chances are it will come to light at some point and possibly cost you your job and damage your professional reputation. If anything, history has proven that even if you perform exceptionally in a position, if a serious misrepresentation on your resume is uncovered, performance takes a back seat to the ethical reputation of the employer. Just ask Dave Edmondson, the former CEO of RadioShack who was sacked in Feb. 2006 when an investigation by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram turned up overstated academic qualifications. Most recently, Merilee Jones at MIT had a stellar performance record for over 20 years and in 2001 was recognized within the school for Excellence in Leading Change. But none of that mattered. With the long revered reputation of the institution she represented built on the highest standards of ethical behavior, they HAD to let her go.

What are the most common resume lies? (source: Forbes.com, 05/23/2006)

1. Fiddling with dates of employment to hide employment gaps is the number one lie.
2. Lying about academic degrees (also the easiest item to check and verify).
3. Omitting or adjusting graduation dates usually to appear younger.
4. Exaggerating performance numbers. Remember if you say you increased revenues 86% at your past job, your new boss will expect the same level of performance.
5. Increasing previous salary thinking this lie will bring you a higher offer. What will you do if an interviewer asks for a recent pay stub or copy of your tax return as more and more are?
6. Inflated job title. Are each of your references and representatives from your past job(s) also willing to compromise themselves and lie for you?
7. Exaggerated or non-existent technical abilities. Even if you are quick to learn, why would you want to be hired to do a job that you are not technically qualified to fill?
8. Claiming language fluency. Again, why? It is so easy to check during an interview if someone knows a foreign language. You can’t fake it.
9. Providing a fake address to appear as though you reside closer to the place of employment.
10. Padding grade point averages. Not the smartest move and very easy to check. 

Job searching by design is a competitive environment. Employers are seeking the best, most qualified candidates for jobs that are becoming more and more specialized. Resumes are a job applicant’s main marketing tool. Figuring the ends justify the means, an applicant is often willing to compromise their standards and stretch the truth in order to get noticed and increase their chances of being called for an interview. But then what? Do you come clean in the interview and hope for the best . . . no more often the lies remain under the table and the gambler lets it ride—sometimes for as much as 28 years in the case of Merilee Jones, when you are then at the top of your profession and your bet is called. There’s nowhere to go but down.