Thoughts on Truth, Truthiness, and Lying on a Resume

Thoughts on Truth, Truthiness, and Lying on a ResumeTruth, Truthiness, and Lying on a ResumeThoughts on Truth, Truthiness, and Lying on a ResumeA few years ago, Stephen Colbert of Comedy Centrals The Colbert Report, introduced us to the concept of truthiness. Basically, a statement has truthiness if you really wish it were (or feel it should be) true. Politicians might embrace the concept of truthiness, but hiring managers call it lying if you do it on your resume. Even though we all know its stupid to lie on your resume, a recent survey by CareerBuilder.com found that 49% of hiring managers have caught job seekers doing just that.I think the key here is to understand the line between presenting your qualifications in their very best light, and blatantly falsifying them. A good example is the dorky Dwight Schrute on The Office. He was hired as the Assistant to the lokal Manager, but he likes to leave out the two little words in the middle, thus promoting himself to the title he feels he deserves Assistant Regional Manager. That seems to be a common practice among resume embellishers in the real world, too. What Do People Lie About?According to the survey, the misrepresentations hiring managers most often see on resumes involve one of the following areasResponsibilities (38%)Skill set (18%)Dates of employment (12%)Academic degree (10%)Companies worked for (7%) orJob title (5%).Below are some examples of workplace scenarios from each of these six areas in which a job seeker might be tempted to lie. In each case, theres a lie, theres the truth (the whole truth and nothing but the truth), and theres also an acceptable middle ground that presents the truth in a way that just sounds better.1. ResponsibilitiesSCENARIO Youre the assistant abverkauf manager, but you have temporarily assumed full managerial duties while the sales manager is out on medical leave. Your title hasnt officially changed, but you currently have higher-level responsibilities.Lie Sales Manager, July 2007 to Present Assistant Sales Manager, January 2005 to July 2007Truth Assistant Sales Manager, January 2005 to PresentStill True but Sounds Better Acting Sales Manager, July 2007 to Present (covering Sales Managers leave) Assistant Sales Manager, January 2005 to July 20072. Skill SetSCENARIO Youve used Excel to create some simple spreadsheets and graphs, and you did an online tutorial called Excel for Beginners. You know what Excel can do, and youre very interested in learning more, but youre by no means a power user (yet).Lie Proficient in Excel(Alternativesimply listing all your skills under a single heading such as Software Proficiency, which implies expertise in all)TruthBeginner-Level Excel Skills, or Familiarity with ExcelStill True but Sounds Better Developing Knowledge of Excel, or Emerging Skills in Excel3. Dates of Employment You took a seasonal position selling products from a kiosk in the Cityville Mall during the holidays from October 15, 2007, through January 3, 2008, a total of less than three months.Lie 2007 2008(This is a common tactic people use to try and hide gaps in their employment. Its a red flag for hiring managers, since they cant tell if the job lasted two weeks or almost two years.)TruthOctober 15, 2007January 3, 2008Still True but Sounds BetterOctober 2007 to January 2008, or Holiday Season 20074. Academic DegreeSCENARIO Youre a registered nurse with an associates degree. Youve been attending university courses at night and are just a few credits shy of your bachelors in nursing. If all goes as planned, you will have your new degree in less than six months.Lie Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, Midwest University, 2008Truth Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, Midwest College, 2001 Working on BSN at Midwest UniversityStill True but Sounds Better Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, Midwest University, expected date of completion December 2008 Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, Midwest C ollege, 20015. Companies Worked For SCENARIO You have 5 years experience as an IT Manager at Notbad Corp. For the past two years, youve been doing the same kind of work nearly full-time as an independent contractor for BigName Inc., which is the cream of the crop in IT (the company everyone in your field aspires to work for), positiv some side jobs for a startup company.Lie April 2006 to Present, BigName Inc., IT Manager January 2001 to April 2006, Notbad Corp., Boston, MA, IT ManagerTruth Self-Employed IT Consultant, April 2006 to Present Clients include BigName Inc. and Startup, LLC IT Manager, January 2001 to April 2006 Notbad Corp., Boston, MA Still True but Sounds Better IT Consultant, April 2006 to Present BigName, Inc., (32-40 hours/wk), Startup, LLC, (10-15 hours/wk) IT Manager, January 2001 to April 2006 Notbad Corp., Boston, MA6. Job Title SCENARIO Your official title is Secretary. Youve been the CEOs right hand for six years, managing every aspect of his daily schedule, correspondence, and all administrative tasks, freeing him up to focus on the strategic vision that has made the company such a thriving business.Lie Director of Executive Operations(Although you may have indeed directed the CEOs activities, the title Director implies a different set of skills and responsibilities.)Truth Secretary (While accurate, this is a largely outdated title, and does not reflect the true scope of what youve been doing.)Still True but Sounds Better Executive Assistant to the CEO (An EA is understood to be an administrative assistant to a high-level executive. This more descriptive title gives hiring managers a clearer understanding of your experience.)On the continuum from unseasoned truth to unmitigated lying, we definitely need to stay safely on the side of truth (sorry, truthiness is not enough). However, we dont need to be so absolute and official that we undersell our true value to an employer. Tell the truth on your resume, but be sure to spotlight the mo st impressive parts of the truth, while leaving the lesser details in the shadows.