Americans are lying more on their resumes, new research suggests, and in the face of similar challenges, it’s likely that Canadians are too.
A recent survey conducted by StandOut CV found 64 per cent of American respondents admitted to having lied on their resumes at least once. The same survey from a year earlier found that number was 55 per cent.
This year’s survey of 2,100 Americans also notes that Google searches related to advice on how to fabricate job application materials increased 19 per cent at the end of 2023, compared to 2022.
The most common misrepresentations that respondents admitted to this year were in relation to prior compensation, which is consistent with a recent study that found 55.6 per cent of Canadians have lied about their salary.
The next most frequent fibs in the survey were in relation to relevant skills, prior work experiences, academic degrees, job titles and experience with specific tools and equipment. Andrew Fennell, the director of StandOut CV, a U.K.-based resume building and advice website, says there are several factors driving the trend toward mistruths.
“The cost of living is going up, there have been quite a lot of job losses in the last six months and the prevalence of AI now is not only adding to the job losses in some cases, but also making it easier to lie on your resume,” he says. “You don’t even have to make the lies up yourself; now you can ask ChatGPT – or a CV builder that has AI built into it – to make this stuff up for you.”
According to the survey, 56 per cent of respondents say they would lie on their applications in 2024 because of the increasing cost of living.
Recent studies have also found that 45 per cent of job seekers use AI to help craft application materials. While the software can help candidates draft resumes that align with job requirements, it’s up to applicants to correct any mistruths.
According to the survey, younger candidates are also more likely to mislead, with 80 per cent of those aged 18 to 25 admitting to lying on their applications, compared to 47 per cent of those over 65.
“[Older employees] tend to have more experience, so they have less need to fabricate,” Mr. Fennell says. “We did another study recently into entry-level jobs, and we found that a lot of entry-level jobs in the U.K. are actually asking people for three to four years of experience, and how are you supposed to get that if you’re fresh out of college or university?”
Though there aren’t any recent studies into the frequency of fabrications in the Canadian job market, all the same underlying factors – including the increase in economic pressure, competition and the prevalence of AI – exist on this side of the border, and some Canadian recruiters say they’re seeing similar patterns.
“Intuitively, I would fully agree,” says Bruce Powell, the managing partner of Toronto-based recruiting firm IQ Partners. “In Canada, the market is becoming much more competitive; the standards for entry into academic programs, the standards for entry into the work force – depending on the job – is just getting more and more challenging.”
Mr. Powell adds that the most common lies he encounters pertain to the start and end dates of prior positions, often to cover up gaps in employment history or to signal greater loyalty to past employers. “The next one is accomplishments,” he says. “There’s lots of people who will overstate the role they’ve played in accomplishing something significant.”
While misrepresentations are common, Mr. Powell warns there’s a “slippery slope” from a harmless exaggeration to outright fraud. Even petty infractions, however, can have serious consequences.
“It regularly results in people losing their jobs when they get found out,” he says. “It can be something minor, but it’s indicative of an overarching flaw in their personality … who knows what else they’re misrepresenting?”
He adds that lying on a resume is not only dishonest, but also a sign of greater weaknesses in a candidate.
“Top performers do not exaggerate,” he says. “They relay their accomplishments because they can be very proud of them; it’s typically the middle of the pack that misrepresents the most.”