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Resume Lies

They creep in everywhere, the little exaggerations or omissions: those little resume lies. Some resume writers even encourage them in the name of “helping” a job applicant look good. But in my viewpoint, the consequences of lying are never worth the risk; they are too severe, both personally and professionally, and too likely to be exposed, even during the job interview. Those little lies include:

  • Inflating a job title. Your job title is so easy for someone to check that it makes no sense to inflate it. If your job title does not reflect what you really accomplished in your job, follow it by a sentence like “held managerial responsibility” or “fulfilled functions of CFO.” Then list the accomplishments that prove that statement.
  • Juggling dates to hide a gap. Nowadays, almost everyone has a gap in their job history. If you are experiencing a gap, fill it with volunteer activities, freelance work or other activities. Do not try to hide it afterwards by altering your dates of employment; this little lie will never hold up to a reference check.
  • Disguising the true nature of your experience. A stay-at-home parent is not a relationship manager. A babysitter is not in the customer service industry. Any interviewer will find out the truth with a few sharp questions.
  • Hiding the extent of your experience. While it is easy to write a resume that overcomes the “overqualified” hurdle, few people can hide the achievements and successes of a lifetime in a personal interview. The way you present yourself, the answers you give to questions, the very questions you ask of the interviewer, all serve to expose your true accomplishments.

Drawing on my own years of experience as a professional resume writer with high standards of integrity and service to clients, I write resumes that get clients interviews based on the truth, not little lies that lead to contradictions, embarrassment and even loss of a potential job. Contact me today for a resume you will be proud to submit.

How to Handle Dates on a Resume

Are you putting too much or too little emphasis on dates in your resume?

When you list your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, the name of the company should come before the dates of employment. It is fine to give a year spread, rather than a month and year; the day is unnecessary. But you must give the dates of employment. If you have a job history that does not have gaps, it is better to list both the months and year. I will do that in most cases – but if you are not sure what to do, contact a professional.

When you list your education, you do not have to give the dates when you graduated unless the graduation date is very recent or you are a new college graduate.

If you are changing careers or returning to an old career path, it is okay to begin the resume with a section that emphasizes relevant highlights of your career without dates. But after that you must provide a list of previous employment with dates.

If your career has spanned decades, it is acceptable to end your list of jobs with a section entitled “Previous Employment” or “Additional Experience” and to list job title and company name without specific dates. No one expects a vice president to detail his first job as a waiter.

Check dates carefully to make sure they make chronological sense. It is easy to get a single digit wrong and cause concern to potential employers. Also make sure that the dates on your resume align with dates given online, in LinkedIn and other social media sites.

Please contact Robin’s Resumes® if you need help determining whether your resume gives too much or too little emphasis to dates. Next week we’ll discuss the education section of your resume.

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