

The Most Common Lies Found On Resumes & How You Can Turn Your Lies Into Your Truths
Trying to find a job can be very stressful, especially if you don't have a lot of experience. Even if you do have viable experience, you are competing with hundreds (possibly thousands) of other applicants that may have more experience or better connections. This is why we count on our resume to get us in the door for getting the job. Your resume is your first impression and we can all agree that first impressions are everything. Before you are even able to open your mouth and communicate why the company should hire you, you have to win the company over with your resume. Without being present, your resume should be able to confidently speak for you and should be an example of your personal brand. It should highlight some of the most impressive details of you, your work experience, and skill set.
We all know the crucial role that a resume plays when job hunting so this is perhaps the reason why many people resort to lying on their resume. By stretching the truth, job seekers believe that they can become more attractive to hiring managers. In a recent survey on CareerBuilder, it showed that more than half (56%) of over 2,000 hiring managers have caught a lie on a resume. That is a huge number but it's the reality.
Some of the most common lies found on resumes are:
- Job title name
- Fluency level in foreign languages
- Computer program & software capability
- Length of work experience
- Type of duties in former position
- Type of awards given
- Volunteer experience
- Promotions received
Lying or exaggerating your experience on a resume is never a smart thing to do. If you are not proficient in Excel or don't know how to use Adobe, your boss will find out the truth sooner or later so don't lie. I understand how hard it can be to find a job, but that doesn't mean that you should lie on your resume. Trust me, the right job will come at the right time. Just be patient and never give up. Before you form your fingers to tell a lie that you can't live up to, follow my steps below to turn your lies into your truths.
1.Be the person you desire to be
Before lying about a skill enroll in a free online course or find a course in your community and actually learn that skill. Nowadays, you can learn literally everything on the internet. My favorite source for learning new skills is Udemy and YouTube. If you are more of a hands on learner, do a quick Google search for classes in your local community. You can also try looking on Groupon for courses as well.
2. Be strategic with your employment gap
If you took some time off of work or simply didn't work for a couple of months because you couldn't find a job, don't resort to exaggerating your employment tenure with a company. Analyze that gap in employment and consider any volunteer or personal projects that you have done. Your life outside of a company can still speak volumes on behalf of you and your work ethic. If you were volunteering during your employment gap, add that to the “volunteer" section of your resume. If you were engaged with your own personal projects (maybe you were starting and growing your blog or side hustle) add that on your resume under the “projects" section. Remember, don't forget to quantify all experience!
3. Don't be ashamed of your job title
One of the biggest resume lies that I see lying about your job title. For example, if you are an Administrative Assistant but desire a job in HR, you may change your job title to HR Manager or HR Coordinator. After all, you have done some HR duties as an Administrative Assistant, so what's the big deal with spicing up your job title?
Changing your job title is never the way to go. Instead of changing your job title, include key words in your job experience section and claim what you did and what you know. Even if those job duties are not apart of your formal job description, you can definitely discuss it in your resume because you actually did it. If you are applying to a job that has a different title than you have now and you are scared this may cost you the job, don't worry. As long as you use keyword friendly terms when describing your experience, recruiters and applicant tracking systems will be able to identify you and your skills.
4. Seek for work that will make you marketable
Another common resume lie is lying about the type of work you do. If you are hesitant about the work experience that you have, don't lie about it because the moment you are hired, it will be obvious that you don't have experience like you said you do. And then you know what'll happen next, you'll be back out on the Indeed site, job hunting again. While you are at your current job, make the most out of it, connect with as many people as you can, and try to learn as much as you can. If you work in HR but want to find a job in marketing at a different company, try to learn marketing while you are currently employed. Ask to shadow someone in marketing, and then offer your assistance to partner with them on projects. By doing this, you are gaining the experience you thought about lying about.
5. Be selfless
Having a giving heart is an amazing quality to have, which is why employers love hiring people that have a knack for helping others. Before lying that you have volunteered for all types of causes and organizations, you should actually volunteer. I remember when I was in undergrad I lied about volunteering for a local organization. In my interview, the person I was interviewing with was that organization's volunteer chairperson. When she asked me about my involvement, it was so obvious that I had never took one minute out of my life to volunteer with them. And if you are wondering, I didn't get that job. Employers don't like liars so don't be like the old me and lie about something as simple as volunteer work.
Do you have any horrific resume lies that you have succumbed to? Don't be shy, let us know!
For more amazing advice on career advancement, visit our xoBusiness section!
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Russell and Nina Westbrook Dish On The Key Ways To Avoid Resentment In Relationships
Russell and Nina Westbrook are one of those low-key, unproblematic couples we don’t talk about enough. They met in college and got married in 2015. They also have a beautiful family with three kids. While Russell is an NBA star, Nina is a licensed family and marriage therapist and a mental health advocate.
She recently launched the podcast The Relationship Chronicles with Nina Westbrook, and in the latest episode, she had none other than her husband on as a guest. The college sweethearts dived into important topics from marriage to children and how they navigate it all.
One of the topics they touched on was dealing with resentment in your relationship. The former MVP highlighted the sacrifices his wife has had to make in order for him to pursue a career in the NBA, and that’s why it’s also important for him to support his wife whenever he can.
“For me is respecting and understanding what your partner do and the time it takes,” Russell said. “Not kind of downplaying what they do, understanding the time and energy and effort they're doing to make sure whether it’s their job or making sure home is taken care of, and understanding that, I think that is the challenge of not being resentful.”
Nina agreed and also shared her thoughts on resentment. According to her, one of the best things couples should do is have their own identity and passions outside of the relationship in an effort to be fulfilled.
“I also think that when you’re in a relationship, that’s why it’s so important that each individual kinda pursue their own passions and follow their own dreams as I feel like it only becomes or leads to resentment when one person is not feeling fulfilled in what they're doing in their lives,” she explained.
“And so, they will start to look at the other partner who’s happy or excelling or promoting or moving along in their journey, then they’re left feeling stuck like they sacrificed themselves, their happiness, their career, their future and have not pursued it in the name of the relationship or their partner. So, it’s so much easier to avoid those feelings of resentment when you’re each equally pursuing your passions.”
The couple has many passions that they work on together and separately. Outside of basketball and his family, Russell has become known for his eclectic style and started the fashion brand Honor The Gift. Nina has her podcast, and she also started the mental health website Bene. Together, they run the Why Not? Foundation, which works with kids in underserved communities.
“I’m a firm believer that one person can’t be everything to you, so you have to sort of seek out those different friendships or groups or hobbies or activities that help to fulfill you,” Nina concluded.
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Feature image by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Religion of Sports