Resume Fraud - Exaggerated job titles and responsibilities

There is no nice way to say this – but people lie on their résumés. Especially in areas they can get away with it. Previous experience is such an area and therefore a prime candidate for falsification and exaggeration. Job titles and responsibilities don’t mean the same thing from onpany to another. In rare cases where they do match, the functions or level of reporting will differ. ‘Fine-tuning’ a resume is quite difficult to uncover. It takes a combination or all the instruments of the employee screening process – reference checks and interviews – to pick up the deception. It is done to embellish relevant experience and highlight the applicant’s suitability for the position.

The intensity of competition for jobs pushes people to look for even the tiniest advantage. The resume job title, responsibilities and functions are the basis for assessing the suitability of a job applicant for the position. It is one way of ensuring that the prospective employee meets the overall criteria for the job. Any exaggeration or misleading descriptions can result in an unqualified person handling sensitive information, high tech or hazardous equipment causing losses to the hiring company. While there are many ways to present job titles and responsibilities in the resume and debates on the subject continue to rage. The best way is to be truthful and the job description honest.

Clearly mention the title followed by the list of responsibilities that the job entailed. This will ensure a strong resume and any reference checks will come back with positive feedbacks. It also ensures that the hiring HR person will understand what the responsibilities, duties and functions were. It removes any chance that the work history is fabricated.

Today every business has to compete locally and globally and they cannot sustain employing unqualified people or those with skills that do not match the requirements of the position advertised. It will affect efficiency and ultimately the profitability of the company.