Feb
12

19 comments

Can You Justify It . . . Fudging Anything On Your Resume?

A note came in last week via LinkedIn. From a new friend who was struggling with a question that I’ll bet a number of you have pondered. Is there ever a situation where you can fudge something on your resume? What if it’s just a little thing? A two week shift in a date to make it look like you had been at your job an extra year?

Will anyone really ever know?

Here’s the question. And I appreciate my friend agreeing to let me share it:

Q: About 3 weeks ago I was offered (and accepted) a job (yay) but unfortunately I was not able to negotiate them up on salary or bonus or really anything. It wasn’t a terrible offer and the company looks very exciting (it’s a start up so there’s lots of opportunity to progress), however I need to think about #1 and salary is still important… My question is, I am still keeping my eyes peeled for employment opportunities, so as I update my resume I wonder if I should even bother including my newly accepted role… it would literally say January 2010 to present… uhhh… and to be honest I think they’re still sussing out exactly what my title and responsibilities will be (at this point I am the entire marketing department), so I’m not even sure what I would write… Your thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated.

A: This is always a tough question. It is always better to look for a job when you already have one. And it is nice to show a current company – says you were “wanted” in a tough job market. But the fear of including such a short stay drives people to consider other options. Ways to “clear up possible confusion”.

So what are those options that one might consider?

1. Leave The Current Job Off Of Your Resume

Inaccurate, however I have seen a number of people do this. Of course you have to ask yourself: is there any chance someone at the new company will know you (or knows someone who does) and may say “Hey, didn’t you already find something?” Risky.

2. Include It As An Interim Contract Job or Consulting Role

Not honest but there is a way (based on the still muddy role) to characterize it a bit differently. Less risky but still inaccurate.

3. Include It Accurately As Your Current Job

As long as you don’t have any other really short stays on your resume, this may not be an issue for people. After all, most understand that sometimes things don’t work out. And your recognizing that quickly says that you have a conscience. Risk? People may see you as having made a bad decision. You are deemed impulsive.

So, here’s my take. I always steer people toward being authentic and honest in their materials and, after reviewing your options, can only suggest #3. Honesty. The right hiring manager/company will understand. There are always other ways to go, but as a great recruiter friend told me recently: “Don’t lie on your resume, even if its a small one. You will forever be explaining that decision.”

How would you have answered that question? Any differently?

Comments

greg schulz February 12, 2010 @ 7:05 am

RT @KevinLiebl: Can You Justify It. Fudging Anything On Your Resume?: http://bit.ly/bcEZaS <-worth a read
Susan P. Joyce February 12, 2010 @ 8:09 am

RT @TimsStrategy: Can You Justify Fudging Anything On Your Resume? http://bit.ly/bmlMGY #jobsearch
ErinKennedy, CPRW February 12, 2010 @ 3:10 pm

Interesting….RT @TimsStrategy: Can You Justify It . . . Fudging Anything On Your Resume? http://shar.es/mnjod
Gary February 12, 2010 @ 3:33 pm

Most people giving advice related to LinkedIn suggest waiting 30-45 days after starting a new job before including it in your profile. You will be extremely busy those first few weeks understanding your role. Despite the interview process there are always surprises and you probably want to cast your new job in terms of the company culture and lingua franca of that position. I don’t find anything misleading about it. Once you add the new position to LinkedIn, then you can honestly record the job start date.
Ryon Harms February 12, 2010 @ 5:06 pm

Member: Can You Justify It . . . Fudging Anything On Your Resume?: A note came in last week via L… http://bit.ly/bcEZaS via @TimsStrategy
Tim February 13, 2010 @ 8:08 am

Hey Gary –

I’ll have to think a little bit more about the LinkedIn advice – haven’t see that written anywhere, but I can see why people might wait. But I think a lot of people are proud of their new job and want to shout it to the rooftops. In terms of your comment “there are always a few surprises”, I guess I don’t agree with that. It’s never happened to me (7 companies) and I think that a good interview process on both sides should expose “most” of the surprises. I have had a boss leave shortly after my starting though! I guess that’s one surprise.

Finally (and sorry to be so disagreeable today), it is misleading by definition to not include a position on your resume. With the exception of jobs 10-15+ years ago, your most recent history needs to be reflected. Whether you’ve added it onto your LinkedIn profile doesn’t matter.
Jim Kast February 13, 2010 @ 9:08 am

Hi Tim,

I have to be honest with you – there are more serious issues here than the “should I put it on the resume”. First, he accepted an opportunity without understanding what the role is (“to be honest I think they’re still sussing out exactly what my title and responsibilities will be”). He thinks he is “the entire marketing department”. Something was obviously amiss in the interview process.

Secondly, the mere fact of him even thinking of misleading potential employers (not to mention the one who gave him the opportunity) about his status raises all kinds of alarms. Authenticity, transparency, integrity. He accepted the role and the salary. Nobody put a gun to his head to make him do so. We all know that if one is not happy about something in their role (in this case money), they are not going to produce at a maximum level. If he is willing to do this, what else is he willing to do? These types of things are never good and they always come back to haunt you.

Finally, what about all the other people out there who truly wanted this opportunity and would be ecstatic for the opportunity to help build a great company? What about the company itself who chose him to be a leader in helping to build a great company? Is his decision to accept this position just to have a job while he continues to look for something that pays more money even remotely fair to these various constituents? I think not and I wonder just how well he is going to do for this start-up. I know people get into things/jobs that are not what they thought they were. However, this does not seem to be the case here. This one appears to be about one issue only – money. This should have been vetted before the acceptance.

I was raised to act with the highest levels of integrity. Great organizations are built with great people. Integrity is the cornerstone of doing so. Sorry for the long response but as a Senior Executive, these are issues which truly get my passions flowing. I truly hope this young man figures out the right thing to do and shows the integrity to do it.
Tim February 13, 2010 @ 12:08 pm

Hey Jim – While I understand your view on this one, I had a different take. First, I was glad to hear that they were asking the question. Some would never have asked, just acted on impulse. They asked an honest question while perhaps admitting a mistake. Or at least thinking that they might have made a mistake.

When in job search it is easy to be impulsive. To take an offer when nothing else is on the horizon. Even if it is not the ideal job, company or offer. We all learn from these mistakes.

And, frankly, since we are all from different generations, we all grew up in different cultures. And were surrounded by different influences. While you were raised with integrity as a strong principle, others were raised with other principles. More entrepreneurial perhaps. Or more “strike while the iron is hot”.

Thanks for adding your strong opinion here and perhaps others will agree with you. I hope this discussion prompts others to think about their decisions. Both before acting . . . and after. In case they made a bad one to start.

BTW, I wrote a post on this subject a ways back . . . http://timsstrategy.com/dont-settle-on-the-wrong-job-offer/
Jim Todd February 13, 2010 @ 7:00 pm

Thanks for bringing this up.

I always am looking for another position.

First document that I update after a new position start is to update my resume.

The problem that I would have if I didn’t do this, is when would I then look for another position? I have more trouble answering this question.

For example, if someone asks for my resume, what do I say. No, I have to update it? That doesn’t work for me at all. I just reach into my portfolio and hand it to them.
Jack Roth February 14, 2010 @ 3:32 am

I have a different view of both resumes and Linked-in profiles. A resume and Linked-in profile are marketing documents and should be held to the standard of marketing documents, a tease, nothing false, but they are not 100% complete either. This is why having multiple versions of our resume is OK.

So to the question, does someone have to put their most current position on their resume or Linked-in profile? To put it in a different perspective, does marketing collateral have to mention the newest product release features? The answer to both is no.

However, all relevant information needs to be disclosed at the appropriate time during the sale. The question is when. Personally I have non-conflicting side businesses, they aren’t on my resume, but my employer will know of them before we reach agreement. My resume also doesn’t state that in 1976 I worked for a now defunct company on obsolete technology. However, if someone wants me to go back 34 years on my job application, it will be listed.
Tim February 15, 2010 @ 9:45 pm

Hey Jack – Thanks for your comments. Interesting thought. And while I agree that both are marketing documents, I don’t think you can compare marketing collateral to a resume. I think the market requires a more complete and recent picture of your background. Agree on older pieces of your history – anything 15 + years or older is no longer relevant.

I like the fact that you are challenging the status quo, however. And I’m sure a lot of people would agree with you . . .
Peyton Farquhar February 19, 2010 @ 1:52 pm

I feel absolutely no guilt indicating on a resume that a position is contractual when the reality may be that it is not for the simple that most states are “at will,” instead of right-to-work. The full-time allegedly permanent job that you just accepted that was less than optimum, that you probably only took due to sheer desperation (expired UI claim/about to be homeless) can just as easily be pulled out from beneath you for whatever reason the employer decides to trot out.

I find it highly ironic all the soul searching/ethical concerns job seekers feel they must adhere to in this kind of situation. If employers did not treat employees like cat litter, perhaps I may feel differently, but my entire job experience has shown me that I am a disposable employee who can be fired on a moment’s notice for whatever reason the employer decides. Experience has taught me that if I don’t look out for my own best interests then no one else will.
Dan February 21, 2010 @ 9:02 am

Almost four years ago, I left a great company and my marketing job here in Orange County, and transferred to a small town in Arkansas for a new job with a “Fortune Ten” company. I took the new job in part because my then-girlfriend was offered a teaching job in the local school district, but mostly because I wanted to “take some risks.”

After a few weeks, I realized the new job was not what I had hoped it would be (I was miserable), and left after just ninety days – with the help of an attorney who negotiated a release from my employment contract after my new boss threatened to sue me if I left.

I put the job on my resume because it truly is a well-known and respected company, but found it became the focus of conversation in interviews – none of it positive. I explained it was not a “good fit” and “it wasn’t what I hoped it would be.”

I never did find a permanent new job, so I ended up starting a small retail business and getting involved in many community activities in that same small town, which I just sold after three years so I could move back to Southern California with my new wife.

I’ve officially been back in the job market for a few weeks.

I dropped the “bad” job from my resume, and refer to the entire Arkansas experience (at least to my friends) as my “Green Acres” phase.

Am I being dishonest? What would you do?
Tim February 24, 2010 @ 7:14 pm

PrattleOn . . . sounds like you have had some bad employer experiences and I have heard of many as well. I have no problem with you looking out for #1, but just be careful that you do not put yourself in a position where you are explaining inaccuracies on your resume. In the worst case, it could get you fired form a great job. One that you really want – and one that really wants you. Also, companies are also expanding their use of background checks – what if they see a job in your history that surprises them. And what if that surprise causes them to reconsider or rescind an offer? By being straight up about your past, you can walk confidently into an interview knowing that you have nothing to hide . . .
Tim February 24, 2010 @ 7:19 pm

dstiel . . . This is a great example of where job seekers like yourself really struggle. You did, in my opinion, the right thing by including the “bad job” and were prepared to discuss it in interviews. And then things went bad. It is a great moral dilemma. As I said in the post, a good employer and their hiring staff should be open to hearing about your learning experience and should see your reflective comments as a positive. That you’ve learned and are ready to move on. I’d actually like to learn more about this one – maybe I can help you position it a little more clearly for future interviews. Feel free to give me a call. (949) 280-7043.
Randy Plett February 26, 2010 @ 5:41 pm

I guess it really depends of what you think a resume’s purpose is for.

I believe for a career-focused professional, the purpose of your resume is to present a concise snapshot of your most relevant and positive credentials for employment. I don’t believe it’s supposed to act as an absolute chronological listing of every experience you’ve ever had.

There are scenarios where it may not be appropriate to include a short employment engagement. It may have been a very short employment experience, say less than 2 months, that didn’t work out for a number of reasons:

* Your experience on the job may have drastically differed from your expectations that were formed during the interview process.
* The workplace was a caustic environment that was detrimental to your health.
* The company folded within that short time frame and you didn’t really gain any relevant experience that furthers your skill sets.

If you agree that a resume’s purpose is to include your most relevant and positive credentials, that I don’t see how one could say that not including every experience you’ve ever had on your resume can be construed as “fudging” or being “dishonest”.

I’m in sales and I can tell you that I don’t mention to my prospects every failed implementation of the product I’m selling no matter how few the number. These failed implementations may have nothing to do with the product’s quality or that of our services staff. The failure may have been due to the poor requirements laid out by the customer that dedicated no resources of their own to ensure the product’s successful implementation.

Is it relevant to this prospect to mention this experience before they agree to purchase our product? Probably not. All it would do is introduce unnecessary Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt in the mind of the prospect and hurt my selling efforts because the experience is not relevant.

That being said, if you are shifting dates to make them appear longer or to extend it to a new calendar year on the employment experiences you do list then this is being dishonest. If you are listing experiences you’ve never had and degrees you never obtained then this is being dishonest.

As the saying goes, honesty is the best policy.
Tim February 28, 2010 @ 8:55 pm

Randy –

This is probably my favorite discussion happening on the blog right now. It really forces everyone to think through an issue that’s been in the public eye (football coaches getting fired for including a degree they never earned) and then forces everyone to turn the microscope on themselves.

The provocative question being asked by you and others is: what is the purpose of a resume. Is it a job seeker-created marketing piece or an employer created necessity. Based on someone’s answer there, the ability to leave out data or shift aspects becomes clearer. At least where you stand. This question has done what I hoped it would do. Get everyone thinking and challenging each other. And I find myself re-thinking my original opinion – which is great.

In the end, though, I will stick to my guns. While I think a resume is part of a marketing package of tools, I think the clear expectation from a potential employer is for the reasonable accuracy. Which, I think, should include a listing of all your employment experience. It turns from a marketing document to a employer document when it is background check time. It is then that you will appreciate your honesty. If not, the little thing you changed (which had no impact on the hiring decision anyway) may knock you off the horse. And in rare cases, prevent you from getting the job.
Stephen VamVaketis March 2, 2010 @ 2:44 pm

The original topic about fudging one’s resume has always been a simple one for me. I approach mine as I do my taxes. I do both as accurately as I can. Now, if my CPA rounds up my charitable contributions some, I don’t fight that. But my resume, that’s a different matter. It reflects me. Should I be tempted to embellish my resume, that’s the same as being someone or something I am not. Life is complicated enough remaining honest and true to who you are and what you want to be. Trying to juggle more than one reality is simply too complicated and just plain wrong.

It is most interesting to read the comments about others. No one here said embellishing or lying is OK, something I would expect from those taking the time to post a reply in a forum as this one. There seems to be a difference of opinion on what a resume is for. From a HR standpoint, a resume is not a legal document. So, it can be incomplete and market only those skills and positions held you choose to. No resume contains fine print stating, “The information contained in this document is partial and only represents a portion of the subject’s experience, data, etc.” However, the information it contains can be scrutinized and bite you if found to be false. An employment application IS a legal document and the reason why we all complete one. It has lots of fine print and disclaimers.
Tim March 6, 2010 @ 8:27 am

Stephen – Great point about the employment application. And the way it may be viewed differently (as a legal document) by the hiring company. Best quote from your comment: “Trying to juggle more than one reality is simply too complicated”.

Can You Justify It . . . Fudging Anything On Your Resume?

Other Posts You Might Like:

Comments

Something to say?

Download a Free E-book

Find A Career Expert

Join my Watchlyst

What I Write About:

“Like” on Facebook

Career Books

Blog Roll

Featured Here

Favorite Resources

What I Write About:

Popular Job Search Engines:

Social Media And Career Sites: