Is It OK to Lie on a Job Application?

Posted on 05/11 by Erin Helms

It is a competitive job market, and people are competing for jobs. Unfortunately, this environment is causing unscrupulous job seekers to embellish or exaggerate their experience to improve their job chances. Is it OK to lie on a job application? What are the consequences of getting caught?

Is Lying On a Resume Illegal?

Technically, it is not illegal to lie on a resume. A resume is not an official legal document. That said, if an educational diploma, a passport, or other legal document is false, it can result in prosecution for falsifying legal documents. If you transfer your information onto a company job application, a legal document, then lying is illegal.

What Constitutes a Lie?

When you think about lies, outright false statements come to mind. However, omissions can be just as dishonest as a flat-out lie. The education section of a resume is where most people embellish a resume. It typically comes as an individual claiming they have completed a program, which is not the case. Common lies include embellished titles, exaggerated job duties, altered dates of employment and false references. A job seeker might provide fictitious information during the recruitment process. Wrong reasons for leaving previous jobs are common. We want to assume that this lying is only a tiny part of the population. Unfortunately, some studies indicate that most of the population has a small amount of distorted information on their resumes, usually regarding mastery of a skill they barely use.

Lying to Cover Lies

Everyone learns that a lie can quickly get out of hand at some point or another. It becomes a vicious cycle of creating more lies to cover an initial lie. Consider how lies on a job application can affect you in the workplace. What will you do when co-workers ask questions about your background, and you must continue to use false information to cover your initial lies?

Failure to Complete Job Duties

If you choose to lie on a job application about job duties and skills at past positions, you will have difficulty meeting the expectations set out in the new place. Suspicions will rise, and your employer might dig deeper into your job history. You never know when an employer might seek out more information later.

Broken Trust

When an employer discovers you are lying on your application, they can terminate the contract. Remember that the foundation of your relationship with an employer is trust. That trust goes when the company discovers fictitious information on your resume. A small lie on an application might not seem like much to you, but to an employer, it is a character flaw.

A Damaged Reputation

You can bid farewell to your employment references if you provide false information on your resume. Even if the company chooses not to fire you, you will be embarrassed. In the digital age, word spreads fast. Your simple lie can have career-long consequences. Do let this happen to you. LaborMAX can help connect you with employers nationwide.

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