Lies my Applicant Told Me: 50% of Hiring Managers Found Fibs

Your applicant wasn't really a member of the Kennedy clan or a professional basketball player, and those vaguely familiar work samples he submitted . . . were YOURS! Yes, although only 5% of applicants admit to embellishing their credentials, MarketWatch reported that 50% of the hiring managers in a CareerBuilder.com survey have come across lies, untruths, misstatements, and whoppers. (So, that 5% must really be getting around!) Common lies were:

• Embellished responsibilities 38%


• Skill set 18%


• Dates of employment 12%


• Academic degree 10%


• Companies worked for 7%


• Job title 5%

Click here to see the best whoppers.

Photo from AP Photo by Chitose Suzuki of Marilee Jones, former MIT Admissions Dean who resigned after admitting to fabrications on her resume