A recent Harris poll of hiring managers indicated that a sizable majority (58%) has detected resumé lies or fibs – most commonly, padded experience or skills and fudged start/end dates.
A third of respondents found falsified academic credentials. Indeed, sometimes high-level executives at A-list companies find their way to high rungs on the corporate ladder only to be “outed” at a later time when the truth comes to light. One career coach thinks the falsehoods are more the result of delusional grandeur on prospective employees’ parts than malice or deception.
Still, he allows, there can be a fine line between spinning the truth and outright lying. What to do about the apparently rampant truth-stretching in the workplace?
Starting with the by-now de rigueur checking (and cross-checking) of an individual’s social-media sites and postings. If LinkedIn and Facebook profiles for the same person tell different stories, it should raise a red flag. Additionally, where possible, give candidates a real-time writing or problem-solving test on-site, and try to schedule interviews with them in the morning.
Harvard and University of Utah researchers have concluded that unethical behavior is more apt to take place as the day wears on, and that people are more likely to be “morally aware” in the a.m. Finally, don’t forget that today’s job-seekers are counseled to be deliberately vague about their ages and total years of experience – and to highlight strengths while downplaying weaknesses.