Padding Your Resume Can Get You Fired

Landing your dream job can be tough. Sometimes it seems like the only way to set yourself apart is to embellish your credentials. But fight the urge to pad your resume, because as a new FindLaw survey shows, doing so can get you fired. More than one in four people who padded their resumes lost their jobs as a result, FindLaw.com's survey shows. Eight percent of Americans admit to exaggerating information on their resumes. As for those whose lies were discovered before they secured work, three percent said they weren't offered a job. But don't think just because you've been hired that you're home free. Over a third of resume-puffers had their lies exposed later. These statistics show that a padded resume can come back to bite you no matter where you are in your career. Just look at ex-Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson. He stepped down from Yahoo! after news broke of his questionable academic record. The company had listed him as possessing a Bachelor's degree in accounting and computer science. But in fact, his degree was only in accounting. The bad news didn't stop there for him either. Thompson recently resigned from Splunk, a data software analytics company. He was a board member with the organization. That's two high-profile jobs he left following his resume debacle. And if that can happen to a former CEO of a Fortune 500 company, imagine your possible fate. In this age of the Internet, it's easier than ever for management to check an employee's background. While resume padding may get your foot in the door, the consequences if you're found out simply aren't worth it. There's nothing more embarrassing than being drummed out of a job. The only thing worst is trying to put a positive twist in your next interview to explain why you were fired for lying about your credentials. The best course of action is just not to do it. Related Resources:

• Just Don't Pad Your Resume Like Yahoo! CEO Scott Thompson Did (FindLaw's Greedy Associates)
• Job Applications and Interviews Guide (FindLaw)