7 Ways That 70% of Workers Have Lied on Their Resumes

And what you should do instead of lying.

The other day, I came across an incredible statistic about job seekers in an article on Forbes. According to the study cited in the story, 70% of workers lie on their resumes.

The study was conducted back in August by ResumeLab. It surveyed nearly 2,000 participants in a job applicant behavioral survey.

The study found that rates of lying tend to significantly increase in cover letters, and peak during job interviews.

So, what exactly are workers lying about so much on their resumes? Here are the top 7 results from the survey.

1. 52% of participants reported embellishing work responsibilities.
2. 52% of participants say they’ve lied about their job title to impress hiring managers.
3. 45% of respondents claim to lie about how many workers they actually supervise to boost their management credentials.
4. 37% say they lie about the length of time spent in a job.
5. 31% are actually dishonest about the name of the company they work for.
6. 24% of respondents say they’ve totally made up positions they’ve listed on their resumes.
7. 17% claim to lie about key accomplishments and other employee metrics.

As mentioned, these are just the top 7 ways that 70% of workers have lied on their resumes. Unfortunately, if you get caught in a lie during any part of the hiring process, your chances of landing the job will be virtually zero.

Therefore, instead of lying about the above-mentioned aspects on your resume, here is what you should do instead to boost your chances of getting hired.

1. Don’t just list “responsibilities,” write actionable examples of what you do in your job.
2. Instead of changing your job title to impress employers, impress them by sharing examples of times you’ve gone above and beyond your duties.
3. If you don’t have a lot of official managerial experience, highlight instances of when you might have led a group or even a volunteer activity.
4. Don’t lie about the length of time you’ve spent at a job to fill in gaps on your resume. Instead, explain something positive you did during any gaps to build upon your skills and experience.
5. Okay, between Google and LinkedIn, there’s no need to lie about the company you work for. You will get found out!
6. Don’t make up positions to list on your resume. Instead, do some soul searching and think about the skills and expertise you’ve gained from your work experience, and then highlight those examples.
7. Quantify your accomplishments to demonstrate the added value you’ve contributed to your organization.

I know that job hunting is hard. And that’s one of the biggest reasons why I decided to become a freelancer a decade ago. But the one thing I can tell you is that you can never be caught lying during any part of the hiring process, whether it’s your cover letter, resume, or interview.

Be truthful, while talking up your strengths and expertise. Give examples of the value you’ve created for others.

Evan Crosby is a personal finance writer and author of Common Cents: 100 Short Personal Anecdotes on Wise Money Management.