Lying on Resume

[MerkinMuffley]

Hey guys,

I recently became unemployed and graduated college last May. I don't have a ton of work experience, and most of it was in radio. I've given that dream up and am not looking for a job in that field. I'm mostly looking to work as a marketing coordinator or in HR/recruiting. The problem is, I never got an internship in that field so I'm not getting any interview responses. My useless degree is in communications and I don't want to be a pizza delivery guy for the rest of my days.

If I'm qualified and capable of the job, what harm is there in lying on my resume to secure an interview. Perhaps making up an internship? If I can't do the job, then I'll be fired and that's perfectly fine. But is it that horrible to lie on your resume in order to just get an interview especially in this economy?

[JimBeam]

Nowadays companies verify everything before employment so even if you " snuck by them " to start if they eventually found out the truth they'd fire you in an instant and possibly, although unlikely, consider criminal charges.

I'd advise against it.

[topless_mike]

lying on a resume is just bad news.
id be more interested in seeing why somebody thinks they are qualified for something than seeing that they have done it already.

besides. lying is bad. real bad.

[Freitag]

Speaking as someone who has a "useless" communications degree, I highly advise AGAINST just flat-out making up stuff on your resume. It's ok to exagerrate experience at a job you've worked at, but not just making up stuff.

My recommendation: Temping.

Temping is probably the best way to get your foot in the door, especially fresh out of college (or just a year or so).

[yojimbo7248]

Lie away when you are younger but knock it off as you get older.

When I was 22, I was studying in Taiwan. A friend of an ex's called. She was the program director at the Taipei expat radio station. One of her dj's had just left. She asked if I had any radio experience. I lied my ass off. I really had been a dj at the station at little Whitman College in Walla Walla but I didn't know shit. I said I was a top dj at the University of Washington station in Seattle. She was so desperate she hired me and it turned out well.

[Freitag]

Here's an example of how I translated my radio experience into "real world" marketing experience.

I wasn't a part of the "prize patrol" - I managed client and audience relationships.

I didn't edit tape for sweepers and bumpers - I recreated our station's brand identity.

[Puggle_kicker]

Is this Black Earl?

[badorties]

just a bad idea all around

get a good reume book, and they'll have examples of effective resumes for those with limited work experience

if you need an attention getter, write a killer cover letter that will show the potential employer that you're more than qualified for the gig

[kdubya]

I used to be a hiring manager, we ran back ground checks to confirm all employment and education listed on a resume. Most places will also do criminal background checks and if the job requires driving look at your driving record.

Even if you lie and get hired, if at somepoint your boss discovers you lied they can fire you for it.

Also you say you want to work in HR or recruiting, yet you think it may be a good idea to lie on a resume, you may want to rethink your career path.

[CountryBob]

Definately - dont lie. Imagining getting the job and then they find out you lied - it would be alot worse on you.
I have an engineering degree and ended up in HR. Try to see if you know anyone in a good position to help you get into what you are wanting. It helped me - the vice pres was a brother to my stepmom, and he got me in the door. a few years and 2 companies later i now am master of the HR world!

[Freitag]

Also you say you want to work in HR or recruiting, yet you think it may be a good idea to lie on a resume, you may want to rethink your career path.

He also said marketing coordinator, so...

[Don Stugots]

one headhunter looked at resume yesterday and said for me to take the construction management stuff off my resume and replace it with office management experience. while i am trying to change careers, that just doesnt even make sense to me. sorry.

[~Katja~]

why not try to get an internship while you are looking for a job? get some actual experience.

[badorties]

one headhunter looked at resume yesterday and said for me to take the construction management stuff off my resume and replace it with office management experience. while i am trying to change careers, that just doesnt even make sense to me. sorry.

have two versions ... one for the construction industry, and one a little more universal

skillsets and experiences can be tweaked and reworded to speak to different audiences ... becareful of making a resume loaded with industry jargon ... your resume needs to makes to HR specialists

also, huge callout: create a safe, generic e-mail address to be used for porfessional purposes -- some variation of your name ... your resume is not the place for aliases and nonsense ... becareful of the e-mail address you do use, and make sure that it's safe from yahoo and google searches ... it would also be wise to sanitize your facebook and myspace pages

[epo]

have two versions ... one for the construction industry, and one a little more universal

skillsets and experiences can be tweaked and reworded to speak to different audiences ... becareful of making a resume loaded with industry jargon ... your resume needs to makes to HR specialists

also, huge callout: create a safe, generic e-mail address to be used for porfessional purposes -- some variation of your name ... your resume is not the place for aliases and nonsense ... becareful of the e-mail address you do use, and make sure that it's safe from yahoo and google searches ... it would also be wise to sanitize your facebook and myspace pages

Badorties is smart.

[Don Stugots]

have two versions ... one for the construction industry, and one a little more universal

skillsets and experiences can be tweaked and reworded to speak to different audiences ... becareful of making a resume loaded with industry jargon ... your resume needs to makes to HR specialists

also, huge callout: create a safe, generic e-mail address to be used for porfessional purposes -- some variation of your name ... your resume is not the place for aliases and nonsense ... becareful of the e-mail address you do use, and make sure that it's safe from yahoo and google searches ... it would also be wise to sanitize your facebook and myspace pages


i did that and i think for the positions i am going for it looks damn good but i cant take the construction experience off, then it would look like i hadnt worked in 8 years.

[badorties]

i did that and i think for the positions i am going for it looks damn good but i cant take the construction experience off, then it would look like i hadnt worked in 8 years.

you can leave the constuction experince, just use a broader strokes when it comes your titles and functions

i wouldn't be shocked if the job functions of an office manager and construction management were the same

[Don Stugots]

you can leave the constuction experince, just use a broader strokes when it comes your titles and functions

i wouldn't be shocked if the job functions of an office manager and construction management were the same

yep. done and done. i think it is as good as it gets.

[MerkinMuffley]

Thanks for the advice guys. I don't think I'll be making stuff up, but I like Freitag's advice (especially with the sweepers - very clever). And I should definitely focus on making a great cover letter - I think that has a been a big part of my lack of success. I have a generic cover letter. Thanks again guys, sometimes I need a swift kick in the ass. Being jobless definitely wears on you.

[Death Metal Moe]

I never make stuff up on my resume. I'm proud of whatever work I did and even though it's varied with some points where I wasn't employed, I am a good interviewer so I make up for that.

I've been lucky, I usually have been given a chance and proven myself at whatever I started.

But if you don't lie there's no false expectations to live up to and there's no pressure. You were hired for who you were and then it's easy.

[Knowledged_one]

Lying about skills ok
lying about jobs not ok

[EddieMoscone]

i did that and i think for the positions i am going for it looks damn good but i cant take the construction experience off, then it would look like i hadnt worked in 8 years.

That's why you label it "Relevant Experience". That implies you have left some things out in order to focus on your strengths related to the specific position you are trying to get. You can fill in the blanks during interview (they are sure to ask).

I also have a "Master" resume that is like 2 and a half pages that I pare down to one page according to the job I am applying for.

[tanless1]

if your lying about past employment , the company needs to be out of buisness, and it helps alot if you actually worked there.
temping is great idea.
offering your services for free to smaller buisnesses. walk in off the street and tell them why you want to help and explain your situation..... then start communicating.
( use your radio experience to cordinate advert ideas and copy w/ sales. wheel and deal to optimise the target he was unaware of ) this could put you in a much better position as you are now working w/ the same firms your applying for allready . you may be able to circumvent the application process alltogether as managment will allready know you, and have worked w/ you , and have a better idea of your ethic.
dont forget- often times firms are obligated to take resumes to avoid discrimination suits.... they can still hire who they want to, make that person "you"

[just-a-trucker]

Don't forget about the coach who had to resign cause he lied on his resume. Bad idea! Look for the things you did do and try to translate them into a different line of work. Good luck to you.

[DolaMight]

Don't do it. I lied on my resume once, never again.

It was for a SQL Database Administrator and on my resume I lied that I had a 17" cock. I guess they didn't believe me because I never got the job.