More than one-quarter who did so lost their job: Survey
Eight per cent of Americans admit to embellishing or exaggerating information on their resumé, according to a survey by legal information website FindLaw.com, part of Thomson Reuters.
And the consequences can be severe, as some recent corporate scandals have highlighted (Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson recently resigned after it was found he misrepresented his education on his resumé). More than one-quarter (27 per cent) of the people who admitted padding their resumés said they subsequently lost their job when the false information was later discovered.
Resumé padding involves presenting false or misleading information about one's education, work experience, professional credentials, job skills or other important personal data.
"With the Internet, employers now have more means to verify information on a resumé," said Stephanie Rahlfs, an attorney and editor at FindLaw.com. "Even connections with other people via social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn can reveal inconsistencies with the information that you are presenting to employers.”
People need to be careful not only that their information is truthful and accurate in social media but that they are not saying one thing to one person or company and something different to someone else — whether it's an employer, prospective employer, friend, family member or acquaintance, she said.
"As the headlines show, time after time, presenting false personal or professional information to an employer is grounds for termination," said Rahlfs.
