Resume Embellishing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Examples of falsifiable false claims you've seen?

OP again. Two that I’ve seen: saying you received a Harvard degree in the education section of your resume when you only took a course through the extension school. Saying you had a substantive role at a company when you were an unpaid summer intern.

The second one doesn’t seem like a lie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Examples of falsifiable false claims you've seen?

OP again. Two that I’ve seen: saying you received a Harvard degree in the education section of your resume when you only took a course through the extension school. Saying you had a substantive role at a company when you were an unpaid summer intern.

that seems more like normal puffery. did they actually say they received a Harvard degree, or just put Harvard in the education section? Did they state that the position was an internship with the correct dates?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Examples of falsifiable false claims you've seen?

OP again. Two that I’ve seen: saying you received a Harvard degree in the education section of your resume when you only took a course through the extension school. Saying you had a substantive role at a company when you were an unpaid summer intern.

that seems more like normal puffery. did they actually say they received a Harvard degree, or just put Harvard in the education section? Did they state that the position was an internship with the correct dates?

Same questions. I have to wonder if it was just poor reading on the part of OP.

I’ve been accused of lying on my resume by people who just didn’t read properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ooof…you’re looking for someone with 1-3 years of experience in the field.

Age and “years out of school” have nothing to do with it.

OP here. I assume you’re implying that this isn’t a generational thing?

People have been lying on their resumes for years.

But I was implying that your phrasing is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

This. Age discrimination is illegal, OP. You know that, right?

OP again. Neither federal law (ADEA) nor Virginia state law (jurisdiction the job is in) protect workers under age 40. Thanks for your input.

This is a position geared at someone with 3-5 years’ experience. Therefore, I’m tending to get resumes from folks in their mid-20s. That’s the older end of Gen Z. It’s just context, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Examples of falsifiable false claims you've seen?

OP again. Two that I’ve seen: saying you received a Harvard degree in the education section of your resume when you only took a course through the extension school. Saying you had a substantive role at a company when you were an unpaid summer intern.

that seems more like normal puffery. did they actually say they received a Harvard degree, or just put Harvard in the education section? Did they state that the position was an internship with the correct dates?

Same questions. I have to wonder if it was just poor reading on the part of OP.

I’ve been accused of lying on my resume by people who just didn’t read properly.

I wish! First one listed Harvard as the institution that granted them a BA. Second one described the role as “ [type of role] consultant.” No months for the dates, just a year. That strikes me as dishonest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:V true that people have been lying on their resumes for years. Even prominent ones! A certain Spring Valley-based bar owner/restaurateur and self styled political operative comes to mind… the “political” side of that resume is almost entirely embellishments.

Now THIS I want to hear more about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Examples of falsifiable false claims you've seen?

OP again. Two that I’ve seen: saying you received a Harvard degree in the education section of your resume when you only took a course through the extension school. Saying you had a substantive role at a company when you were an unpaid summer intern.

The second one doesn’t seem like a lie?

I agree. Unpaid doesn't mean unsubstantive. Especially in DC, where many respectable orgs thrive on unpaid intern labor.

[Anonymous]

Some employers/hiring managers have a reputation, and good employees won’t apply. Maybe you’re getting the dregs?

[Anonymous]

I just completed a resume that specified paid experience. Maybe you should specify paid experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ooof…you’re looking for someone with 1-3 years of experience in the field.

Age and “years out of school” have nothing to do with it.

OP here. I assume you’re implying that this isn’t a generational thing?

People have been lying on their resumes for years.

But I was implying that your phrasing is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

This. Age discrimination is illegal, OP. You know that, right?

OP again. Neither federal law (ADEA) nor Virginia state law (jurisdiction the job is in) protect workers under age 40. Thanks for your input.

This is a position geared at someone with 3-5 years’ experience. Therefore, I’m tending to get resumes from folks in their mid-20s. That’s the older end of Gen Z. It’s just context, people.

Wow so dismissive. Not the PP - but the reason this is illegal, and it definitely is, is because by saying you are looking for someone in their mid-20s, you’re discriminating against a protected class, as in anyone over the age of “mid-20s” who is well qualified for the position. See how that works?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ooof…you’re looking for someone with 1-3 years of experience in the field.

Age and “years out of school” have nothing to do with it.

OP here. I assume you’re implying that this isn’t a generational thing?

People have been lying on their resumes for years.

But I was implying that your phrasing is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

This. Age discrimination is illegal, OP. You know that, right?

OP again. Neither federal law (ADEA) nor Virginia state law (jurisdiction the job is in) protect workers under age 40. Thanks for your input.

This is a position geared at someone with 3-5 years’ experience. Therefore, I’m tending to get resumes from folks in their mid-20s. That’s the older end of Gen Z. It’s just context, people.

Wow so dismissive. Not the PP - but the reason this is illegal, and it definitely is, is because by saying you are looking for someone in their mid-20s, you’re discriminating against a protected class, as in anyone over the age of “mid-20s” who is well qualified for the position. See how that works?

Hi there, OP here. Think you’re missing the point. As I (pretty clearly) said in the response you’re quoting, the position is geared, and therefore advertised, at someone with 3-5 years experience in the relevant area. Age is not mentioned anywhere in the listing or advertisement for the position. I’m mentioning age here, in the context of this anonymous forum, because the resumes I am in fact receiving are from folks who are in their early- to mid-20s, and I am surprised by the number of people in this age cohort who are embellishing or outright falsifying aspects of their resumes.

What I’m learning, though, is that a lot of folks on here seem to think embellishing or outright dishonesty on a job application is OK! Or that I’m somehow at fault and getting “the dregs” because I follow up with previous employers and schools, which somehow indicates that my employer isn’t a good place to work. I don’t really understand that line of thinking. I was always taught that a resume and cover letter are often the first impression you’ll make with an employer, so you should avoid submitting information that could be construed as misrepresentation. Guess I’m asking the wrong group of folks about this issue.

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why you’re getting so defensive. If you don’t get good applicants, there’s something wrong with the job. The positions I applied for had up to 800 applicants, most had around 4-500. There were some really amazing applicants, apparently, because I didn’t get some of the jobs I really liked. Finally found something amazing and I have two legitimate Ivy degrees, one Harvard online course (specified as such on my resume) and many years of experience. I never list months on my resume anymore, don’t really care to. If any employer is that picky, and can’t figure out that my 15 years of experience are sufficient, then they’re the wrong fit, and I suspect they’ll veer into micromanaging and I stay far away from such types.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ooof…you’re looking for someone with 1-3 years of experience in the field.

Age and “years out of school” have nothing to do with it.

OP here. I assume you’re implying that this isn’t a generational thing?

People have been lying on their resumes for years.

But I was implying that your phrasing is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

This. Age discrimination is illegal, OP. You know that, right?

OP again. Neither federal law (ADEA) nor Virginia state law (jurisdiction the job is in) protect workers under age 40. Thanks for your input.

This is a position geared at someone with 3-5 years’ experience. Therefore, I’m tending to get resumes from folks in their mid-20s. That’s the older end of Gen Z. It’s just context, people.

Wow so dismissive. Not the PP - but the reason this is illegal, and it definitely is, is because by saying you are looking for someone in their mid-20s, you’re discriminating against a protected class, as in anyone over the age of “mid-20s” who is well qualified for the position. See how that works?

Hi there, OP here. Think you’re missing the point. As I (pretty clearly) said in the response you’re quoting, the position is geared, and therefore advertised, at someone with 3-5 years experience in the relevant area. Age is not mentioned anywhere in the listing or advertisement for the position. I’m mentioning age here, in the context of this anonymous forum, because the resumes I am in fact receiving are from folks who are in their early- to mid-20s, and I am surprised by the number of people in this age cohort who are embellishing or outright falsifying aspects of their resumes.

What I’m learning, though, is that a lot of folks on here seem to think embellishing or outright dishonesty on a job application is OK! Or that I’m somehow at fault and getting “the dregs” because I follow up with previous employers and schools, which somehow indicates that my employer isn’t a good place to work. I don’t really understand that line of thinking. I was always taught that a resume and cover letter are often the first impression you’ll make with an employer, so you should avoid submitting information that could be construed as misrepresentation. Guess I’m asking the wrong group of folks about this issue.

But that’s not what was said. This is what was said in the OP:

“I’m in the process of hiring for a position oriented at someone a few years out of college - early- to mid- 20s, so definitely Gen Z…”

You did not mention experience at all until you were called on it. And you did not say you were getting resumes from mostly Gen Z; you said you were getting embellished resumes.

If you are doing the background checks yourself, as you claim, I am going to assume you don’t have an HR department. And you sound like an inexperienced manager. Those of us who have done this for awhile are trying to coach you into being a good manager.

Of course one shouldn’t lie on a resume. Or “embellish”. But you are targeting people who are too young to have the experience you are looking for, so of course the applications you are picking up are embellished. The honest people aren’t applying because they don’t have five years of experience in the early 20s.

This whole operation sounds a little chaotic, and you are giving off some toxic manager vibes by continuing to dig when people are calling out your mistake.

Revisit the job listing, and look into some management classes.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Examples of falsifiable false claims you've seen?[/quote]

OP again. Two that I’ve seen: saying you received a Harvard degree in the education section of your resume when you only took a course through the extension school. Saying you had a substantive role at a company when you were an unpaid summer intern. [/quote]

that seems more like normal puffery. did they actually say they received a Harvard degree, or just put Harvard in the education section? Did they state that the position was an internship with the correct dates?[/quote]

Same questions. I have to wonder if it was just poor reading on the part of OP.

I’ve been accused of lying on my resume by people who just didn’t read properly.[/quote]

I wish! First one listed Harvard as the institution that granted them a BA. Second one described the role as “ [type of role] consultant.” No months for the dates, just a year. That strikes me as dishonest.[/quote]

Wow you’re coming for them because they didn’t put months?! Some resume templates don’t have months and they can take up a lot of space — my resume doesn’t have months on it because of space constraints and because they look ugly/confusing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:V true that people have been lying on their resumes for years. Even prominent ones! A certain Spring Valley-based bar owner/restaurateur and self styled political operative comes to mind… the “political” side of that resume is almost entirely embellishments.

Rhymes with Britz Grogan?