Here's yet another article that reinforces the old saying, "honesty is the best policy." As far as I'm concerned, that's true everywhere. And I'm not just saying that because I'm a horrible liar. My mother still tells the story about how she always knew when, as a kid, I would try to fib my way out of something. But I digress. With the ease of verifying information these days, and in an era where more and more companies do thorough background checks before hiring an employee, it's a lot easier for everyone to just tell the truth. Of course you can put things in as positive a light as possible (such as focusing on what you learned from a mistake) as long as you don't misrepresent the facts.

Fudging the Facts on a Résumé Is Common, and Also a Big Risk

I certainly learned from my childhood failure to convincingly lie. Now, I just don't understand why people do it, particularly in writing on a resume or cover letter, when it's easier and easier for an employer to verify what the truth is. On second thought, I guess I can understand why people sometimes do it - to try to get ahead. I just don't understand why they think they won't get caught, or why they think that compromising their integrity for a few extra dollars would be worth it.

To your success,

David B. Wright
Author, Get A Job! Your Guide to Making Successful Career Moves

Article by Jim Stroud, "The Job Search Strategist" providing strategies, tips and tutorials on how to find work and advance your career.