Job seekers misrepresent experience, skills, and even demographic details to gain an advantage
SEATTLE, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- ResumeBuilder.com, the premier resource for professional resume templates and career advice, has published a recent survey report examining dishonesty in the hiring process. The survey of 2,000 U.S. job applicants reveals that 44% of Americans have lied during the hiring process, with many seeing professional benefits from their deception.
According to the survey, 24% of job seekers have lied on their resume, making it the most common place for misrepresentation. The most frequent resume lies include inflating years of experience (38%), exaggerating skills and abilities (34%), and misrepresenting the length of previous positions (32%). Lying during interviews is also prevalent, with 19% admitting to dishonesty while discussing their skills, responsibilities, or experience. Additionally, 6% have lied on their cover letters.
Beyond professional qualifications, some job seekers have misrepresented demographic details. Nine percent have lied about a disability, 7% about their race or ethnicity, and 6% about their veteran status.
Despite the risks, many job seekers say dishonesty has worked in their favor. Among those who admitted to lying, 36% successfully landed a job, and 28% say they secured their current position by being deceitful. The majority (64%) believe lying has helped them advance their careers, and 25% say it allowed them to negotiate a higher salary.
"Lying during the hiring process can create long-term trust issues and damage one's professional reputation," says ResumeBuilder.com's Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller. "However, many job seekers feel pressured to misrepresent themselves due to hiring practices that focus heavily on rigid requirements rather than demonstrated skills. Companies that prioritize practical assessments and real-world abilities may help reduce the incentive for candidates to be dishonest."
Looking ahead, hiring managers may see more dishonesty in the application process, as 11% of current job seekers say they plan to lie in their applications or interviews this year.
To view the complete report, please visit:
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Media Contact
Sarah Saunders, Resume Builder, 000-0000, [email protected], ResumeBuilder.com
SOURCE Resume Builder
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