Lying on Resumes (Again)

John Sumser at Electronic Recruiting News has an interesting post about truthfulness on resumes. In a sense, he really "gets it" - resumes are marketing documents designed to instigate a conversation. And his examples of "spinning" some elements of his background make perfect sense. In a way, it would be less than honest for him to use the job title "Xerox Boy"!

But there's a big difference between marketing and out-and-out lying - claiming credentials, experience, degrees, and so forth that you don't have.

Recently I was interviewed by Susan Geary for her entry in the Public Radio Talent Quest - I could be biased, but I think she did a great job and her proposed show, "Career Matters," has enormous potential! In the broadcast I made the point that if you've lied on your resume, it can come back to haunt you, so why not fix the mistake, rewrite your resume focusing on your (truthful) accomplishments, and go out and find a new job that is not predicated on a lie. You'll sleep better at night - and you'll boost your confidence, knowing that it wasn't some phony credential that was responsible for your success.

Posted by Louise Kursmark