Customized Resumes: Stretching the Truth a Bit or Lying?
In some job markets, employers have so often found resumes and cover letters unreliable that they've become wary of these documents. Some would no longer even believe any of the information on a resume unless these are backed by corroborative evidence. But as both documents remain the basic ways to communicate interest in a job opening within a company, the question of how to make these as effective tools to get you the job remains.

Lying on Your Resume: Is it Necessary?

Many are tempted to lie on their resume. But is it truly necessary? Stretching the truth a bit to fit job requirements don't necessarily have to mean lying. Customizing a resume to highlight qualifications and skills that fit a particular job is perfectly acceptable. But what does a customized resume mean if it isn't an outright case of lying on a resume?

Customizing a resume is highlighting qualifications that fit the job. Putting in a fictitious work experience is a no-no. When you highlight a qualification or skill to fit a job description, you specifically state an accomplishment in your present or previous positions that required the related skill or ability to fulfill. You may perhaps; find the need to embellish the truth a bit, but a blatant lie is ill-advised.

Here is an example:

A career history in the real estate and mortgage industry may be tweaked a bit to fit a need in the renewable energy sources industry. People who deal with real estate are likely to be familiar with green buildings and state legislations pertaining to eco-friendly construction. Even if you've only dealt with solar-powered or wind-powered homes in passing, a real estate experience gives you the basic tools to understand how general business is done. You can learn the peculiarities of the renewable energy sources industry as you go along.

Lying Backfires on You

Employers routinely call references and do background checks to verify information on an application. If they don't, that doesn't mean you're safe. When hired, you're likely to be asked to work on a project or an assignment that requires the skills or abilities you lied about. Either way, sooner or later, they'd find out you're not whom you presented yourself to be. You could be fired or forced to resign. Your worst-case scenario? You won't get a positive recommendation or referral for your next job.

Keeping the Job

More than clinching the job, you should focus on making it past the probationary period and keeping the job. If you stretch the truth a bit to get the job, the rule of thumb is to be able to substantiate the claim. Whether it's a skill you're claiming you posses or a special qualification, be certain you can deliver when duty calls. Otherwise, you'd flunk performance evaluations or find yourself in even bigger trouble. Lying catches up on you soon enough and when it does, it blows up on your face big time.