Human resource professionals estimate that as much as 40% of the resumes in circulation contain exaggerated credentials and outright falsehoods. I’ve seen most of it in the many years I’ve hired and fired.
The exaggerations can be minor. Usually the lower the position, the less the exaggeration. For example, a legal secretary may assert proficiency with software or knowledge in a certain area of practice when in fact she only edited a document once in the stated software, albeit unsuccessfully, or may have temped for one day for an attorney in the stated practice area. Their reasoning is that they are smart enough to pick it up on the job, and you will be none the wiser. You may, however, wind up paying for experience you don’t get.
I have seen degrees listed which have never been earned. Changing (e.g. stretching) of dates of employment to hide short, unsuccessful terms of employment or hide gaps in employment. I have seen titles claimed that were never given. I’ve even seen management experience claimed which was never part of the applicant’s actual job history.
Some lies are subtle. For example, a bookkeeper candidate listed on her resume that she managed A/P and A/R at her former firm. I questioned specifically what she did in A/P. Did she approve invoices? No, they came to her approved. Did she determine what expense category applied? No, they were marked accordingly. Did she decide, based on available cash, who got paid and who didn’t? No, she ran a list of what was due, and how much money there was, and a partner told her which vendors to pay. But, she proudly asserted, she wrote the checks, wrote the check numbers on the bills, and filed the bills. Big whoop! That’s not control of Accounts Payable, that’s a disbursement clerk at best. Big difference. But I’m not so sure it was a purposeful outright lie. In fact, the candidate might have actually thought this was what A/P management was.
An applicant for a network manager claimed he was #2 at his current job, and had his college degree in computer science. I asked for a copy of his transcript and diploma. I also asked for the name of one manager at his current employer he could trust to verify he was the #2 person. As you’ll find out in a minute, transcripts can be altered. But a diploma rarely can be. He produced neither, and withdrew his application.
I could easily spout off a dozen or more examples without even pausing to scan my memory in earnest.
A recent article entitled Lawyer Quits Job Over Résumé Flap by Bethany Broida in Legal Times was picked up on Law.Com. I won’t spoil the personal read on your part. Suffice it to say that an associate at a blue chip firm falsified just about anything one might imagine on his resume and got away with it for quite some time. He now faces prosecution and disciplinary action. In South Carolina an attorney was disbarred for changing her GPA on her transcript. See Opinion No. 25611. And of course, there are a lot more examples.
I always used this formula in interviews: the first half was about the candidate. The first half of that (first quarter of the overall interview) was spent asking specific questions targeted to ferret out any falsehoods in the resume. I would make a candidate complete my inhouse application form, including work history, before the interview, and they were instructed that they would not be permitted to write “see resume” in the experience/work history areas. At the end of the application they would have to sign / attest that they knew that any falsehood discovered later would result in discharge. Remember, there’s no such statement on their resume!
As an example of the verification process, I might ask a person to verbally recount their work history. I always asked in a non-threatening way with a statement like, “tell me in your own words about the growth of your career from one position to the next, to the point where you are today.” I would compare their statements to the inhouse application and their resume as they went. I’d call discrepancies innocently to their attention, and that would make them fumble even more going forward. You’d be amazed how quickly dates can change to reveal gaps in employment. Some people just don’t “get it” that they should hand copy their resume to the application form!
I’d always ask for a copy of a diploma to verify degrees. Often I’d ask for a transcript too. And so forth. Finally, before proceeding to the next part of the interview, I would inform the candidate that any offer made and accepted would be dependent upon verifying statements with the current employer after the fact. The candidate was warned that falsification would result in a withdrawal of the offer.
The second quarter of the interview (last part of the first half) was spent asking behavioral interview questions which revealed work ethic and style, decision-making and leadership qualities. These are open-ended questions which cannot be responded to by a yes, no, or specific fact. This took as long as needed.
The first half of the interview was usually concluded in one hour for regular staff positions, two hours for management level positions, and so forth.
Assuming nothing came up which would preclude me from exploring further, the second half of the interview was about the firm. This was my opportunity to explain in depth about the position and requirements; to point out the good, bad and ugly about the firm and position, in a way designed to highlight the best aspects, without hiding the worst.
Some people believe that the only goal is to get a candidate to accept an offer. If it’s a “bad” job don’t let them know until after they come aboard. Then it will be “too late”. I don’t believe in that one bit. In today’s tight labor market, it is never too late for a candidate to make a switch. And if you deceive them, they will leave with a chip on their shoulder, and eventually that karma comes around to make it extremely difficult to get decent applicants to respond to your ads.
I’ve always believed that there is no “bad” job. Just jobs with special challenges, requiring an equally special person to fill it successfully. Or as my grandmother always said, “there’s a lid for every pot!” So be honest. Remember, turnover is expensive, (see this article), as is developing an unsavory reputation as an employer. Particularly in a market as “small” as our legal universe.
Honesty must be present on both sides of the table. If 40% of resumes are falsified, probably a larger percentage of jobs are misrepresented by employers. So the sword cuts both ways.
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