Are you considering embellishing your resume to boost your job prospects?
Desperate for Employment
Graduated in August 2023 with a B.S. in Public Relations and Advertising.
Struggling to secure a job despite 5 interviews.
Considering fabricating employment to improve chances.
Potential Solution
Family friend offering to be a fake job reference.
Concerned about lying and potential background checks.
Advice Needed
Desperate for a job and running out of savings.
Should you lie on your resume to get hired? Thoughts?
#JobProspects #ResumeAdvice #DesperateForEmployment #LyingOnResume #CareerStruggles #FakeJobReference #BackgroundChecks #JobSearchTips #EmploymentSolutions
I was doing this but yea the background check part is sketchy. They probably wouldn’t call your current employer (I hope they wouldn’t), I think there are other ways to see if an employee works for a company.
I don’t have a problem with it. But yeah you gotta be able to bluff your way through without raising red flags. I do know that when our company finds someone was lying we mark them as a do not hire.
Typically, background checks call or email the contact information you provide to verify your dates of employment and if the company offering you a job is large, the checks are done by a third party… that’s always been my experience but it may vary. I’ve also worked at smaller companies that did not verify anything on my resume… depends on the company you’re interviewing for AND how their background check processes work… good luck!
One thing that I’ve learned throughout my career is that you need to get comfortable with lying. I wouldn’t even call it lying, I would call it embelishing the truth. The more comfortable you get, the better you will be able to sell yourself and your skills. If you ever fall into the imposter syndrom pit, just think of yourself as a sneaky trickster who will bullshit their way to the top. Best of luck!
I wouldn’t do that approach personally as the background check will go into detail (if you get an offer) about how you working there was bogus. Just say you’re a freelance consultant or something. Started a business.
Do what you gotta do to put food on the table. Other people’s opinions of right and wrong don’t apply to your life and your situation.
Job recruiters don’t care if you don’t have money to put your little one in diapers. They don’t care if you are about to get your lights cut off, they don’t care if there are no job prospects within 50 miles of your home.
Lmao people out here with the background check boogeyman as if everyone isn’t already doing this shit.
Be aware that your bogus resume could haunt you for the rest of your career. It is very hard to eliminate this fictional job from the internet and you’re counting on your friends to repeatedly back up your story for possibly decades. And don’t consider any jobs that require a security clearance. Those investigators don’t play.
Start an llc and do some freelance stuff. Then just use that.
Do some freelance PR and comms work for the bar. Can be a very small amount assuming they don’t have the budget for more; couple of flyers or Facebook posts. It sounds like they want to help you out so use that connection. Then you can wax lyrical about your experience and how you showed initiative to get freelance work without lying, which could haunt you as other commenters have said
I lied about how long I was at my previous job to get hired at my current job, which required an unnecessary number of years of experience. I also included a company I never worked at (they sent me a job offer, but ghosted me afterward). No one ever caught it during the background check; no one noticed any work gap.
These HR & recruiter types don’t mind if you’re a few months away from ending up on the street. They don’t lose their jobs if you end up homeless, so they don’t care! Why should you care if you’re dishonest to them? Do what you’ve gotta to get a job so you can get money to put food on the table, build your savings, and keep the lights on.
Employers made it this way. Their expectations are unrealistic and unnecessary for many of the jobs they’re hiring for. You’re just playing the game they’ve created for you.
So, you just make a resume that’ll make these recruiters’ hiring managers happy, and tell recruiters what they wanna hear during an interview. By presenting yourself as the ideal hire, you’d be helping recruiters keep their jobs. Because you’d help them keep their jobs as recruiters, they’ll make it easier for you to get hired. As long as you can do the job they’re hiring for, I don’t see anything wrong or immoral with this. In the job search, there’re no morals. It’s all about the job offer and the paycheck. 😆 😆
Good luck!
Would you be kosher if someone else lied better on their resume and got the job instead of you?
If yes, sure, go ahead.
Curious about this. would background screening folks go to every employer on your resume to check dates titles location etc or just to the references you put
Why don’t you offer to do some social media /pr for your bar owner friend – then you’re not lying are you?
They will only see if you committed a crime if they’re running a background check through an external party. Lie to them but not on the background check. I run background checks through checkr and we don’t even ask employment dates.
support this idea. hate to break it to you but 5 interviews is nothing. be prepared for dozens or several dozens.
>B.S. in Public Relations
Well, *that* tracks…
Jobs lie all the time. Why shouldn’t you?
If you get that desperate, use a small place that went out of business years ago. If they ask, tell them you lost touch with your former boss and can’t find a way to contact them anymore. Businesses go under overnight. Former bosses and co-workers pull up stakes and leave without notifying you. References disappear. People move on all the time.
You can’t be expected to chase them around the globe for the rest of your life and if a job is that pissy about references and background checks, it will be a nightmare to work for them and you will want to look elsewhere.
it will come out in the background check guy lied if they run one
I lie a little more on each application spree. I’m not in school currently but I might have my MD, JD, or PhD by this time next year 🤷♂️
I think bedsheets might be more comfortable….
I’ll lie for you. Tell me what job you rock at and I’ll tell them how sad I am that you’ve outgrown the role. DM me.
This goes for everyone. I’ll be your reference.
Fuck this job market. Let’s get paid.
If a job doesn’t require background check then it shouldn’t be an issue
But if not theworknumber.com has all the info an employer will look into.
If you’re going to lie, be sure to have a plan for if they ask for evidence.
Don’t lie about a fake job. Just put “freelancing” on your resume, starting from graduation until now.
You are freelancing… even though you didn’t get any clients. Your future job prospects aren’t entitled to know about your current clients (or lack thereof). It’s not ideal but it’s not a straight up lie, and it’s easier to convince yourself of it, making you more comfortable when handling interviews.
Direct lies is just a recipe for disaster.
It might also be worth doing a couple of consultancy with potential freelancing clients to help them (think small businesses in your area) to actually have real life examples of strategies you put in application to answer any question future employers might have. Those small businesses might even decide to hire you for freelancing gigs on the side after their initial free consultation.
I usually advocate against doing free work, but when one has to eat, that might be a better option to get a job than starving, and you’ll be helping small local businesses.
Don’t lie. It’s not worth selling your integrity. Many companies run background checks and will require you to submit pay stubs from your last 7 years of experience. If that’s required you will be screwed.
How about you do volunteer service for that bar and then ask them to be a reference? I worked in volunteer management for a few years and was a reference for one of them. Helped him get a job with a non-profit.
Can you do some volunteering for your friend’s bar that would tie into your degree? I say this as a PR graduate myself.
lying on my resume got me from $25k a year to $65k.
You are questioning whether you should lie. This is good, because it isn’t coming easy for you.
Don’t tank your integrity like that. **Don’t lie.** This never ends good, and you’ll regret it.
My advice. Sorry it’s tough getting a job, but it won’t work out like you think it will by lying.
And that’s fine. Lie about the things you can bullshit and you can do fairly well when you’re actually hired.
Start your own LLC for a startup idea. Work on that throughout each week and add it to your resume as experience.
If your startup succeeds, then great!
If not, then ar least you will have more experience on your resume.
Don’t lie.
You only graduated last August. You’ll find a gig
Lie 100%
But it has to be tasteful like extending the truth and you can stretch it.
Don’t flat out make up complete bs u can’t back up tho.
Why not all the Indians are doing it
hiring hr will verify your employment. u will be screwed.
Advertise for them (even if it’s for free). Add it to resume and make it then look great product wise. Additionally, try to find out what they may need for their position their hiring for. What can you do for them? Tell them (if not show them) why or how you are important.
Or, just do a couple shifts at the bar so you aren’t lying?
Sounds like you are an independent public relations consultant who started his own business right out of school. Congratulations on landing your first client, your friend’s bar. It’s amazing how you’ve led the strategy and execution for multiple events that have increased the location’s sales by 200%.
Come up with a nice name for your PR agency, buy the URL, and add that experience to your LinkedIn & resume.
I’d say: be as honest and forthright as companies are in their job listings, it’s only fair.
Don’t make the fibs so large they can get detected though
I just had an applicant try to do this. Made it to the final stage. Then I found inconsistencies…. He was subsequently asked about the issues. Couldn’t cover his story…
Frozen and eliminated from recruitment
Employers embellish how good their company, roles and prospects are.