Why You Shouldn't Lie on Your Resume

Your mother already told you that lying was bad, but despite such early ingrained programming, adulthood has probably taught you to see things in slightly grayer tones. In a resume, everyone wants to present his or her experience in the most attractive light, but information cannot be fiction. Whether you're unreasonably inflating job accomplishments or creating complete fabrications, lying is simply a bad idea. Aside from any moral or ethical implications, chances are that you'll get caught. Here's how:

1. Your potential employers will probably call your previous employers. It may be just to get information for transferring your insurance policy or because the two bosses feel like schmoozing. Once the schmoozing is done, you'll get busted.
2. Even though you're changing jobs, you're probably not changing industries. Companies in the same industry often attend the same conferences and conventions, workshops and fundraisers. Employers often belong to the same professional associations, or have networks that reach out to various other companies. One offhand mention that you were the errand boy, not the Director of Distribution, and you'll be cleaning out your desk.
3. If you lied about your school or degree, your company may check your school's alumni list. Or someone at your new company will really be an alum, and they're going to bust you.
4. If you get really creative and invent previous experience or employers, modern day information retrieval networks, web browsers or the Lexis/Nexis system make discrediting and humiliating you quick, easy, and cost effective.
5. Lie about the languages you speak, or exaggerate your proficiency and you will be asked to utter a few words in that tongue. Sometimes interviewers will conduct part or all of an interview in the language you claim to know, especially if it is directly related to the position. Your monkey-like gibberish will accompany you out the door.

Experience is too easy to get legitimately to risk lying. If you have any education, or work experience, you can present yourself in a way that employers will find attractive. If you need further experience, offer your services to a manpower-hungry volunteer organization. Most are constantly in search of free labor, so you can often write your own position and duties if you choose to give your time.