Warning: Lying on your resume could cost you your job and your freedom.
Picture this. He is sitting at his desk happily working at a company where he has been employed for ten years. He has had several promotions and is now a senior assistant manager.
He has his eye on a senior management position, which everyone says is a shoe to land. The future for him looks bright, indeed. So when the boss calls him into the office for something extremely important, he assumes it’s really good news.
Instead, it’s your worst nightmare.
Your boss gives you a dismissal letter and, worse still, tells you that you better find a lawyer. The employer is going to press charges against you for criminal fraud. Why is all this happening to you?
Suddenly it comes back to you. You lied on your resume ten years ago, and you did some weird stuff to back up your lie. Now it has finally caught up with you all these years later. But what is the problem?
Lying on a resume is not a crime, is it?
um. . . Yes it is. In fact, it is a felony.
It is an illegal act to lie on your resume about your credentials and to intentionally mislead an employer using measures such as hacking into computer databases or using toll-free numbers to verify false information.
If you are ever caught making up lies about your experience and qualifications, be aware that you could literally go to jail, even 10 years after the fact.
Getting caught up in these kinds of lies can be easier than you think. Employers are conducting more extensive background checks on potential employees and current employees seeking promotions. If you say you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, they won’t just take your word for it. Many employers will request a college transcript directly from your school to verify if your statement is true.
So the next time you apply for a job, whether online or offline, remember that honesty is the best policy. By the way, it will also keep you out of jail.