Published Date: 29 May, 2018
Last updated on: 28 April, 2023
We’ve all been there at some point; we find an interesting job vacancy, decide to give it a shot and send our latest resume, sometimes with a few harmless ‘tweaks’ or ‘embellishments’. Whether it’s a little white lie about our previous salary or about a minor brush with the law during careless college days, it is safe to say that we’ve all opted to add or withhold certain information on our resume to make it more appealing to the company we are looking to join. However, if you think that misleading information is going to go unnoticed, think again, because companies and organizations are becoming more aware than ever of dishonest applicants and are taking the necessary measures to avoid hiring the wrong people. With that in mind, here are five compelling reasons to fully disclose your accurate job history, academic credentials, criminal background and other relevant details upfront:
The company’s HR personnel are going to find out anyway
A growing number of employers now run background checks that cover education, employment, financial and criminal history in order to avoid the many risks resulting from fraud. So if you’ve been dishonest, it’s just a matter of time before you’re called out.
Lying on your resume could land you a job you’re unqualified for
Assuming that your inaccuracy slipped through the cracks and you got the job, you may find yourself in a position where you lack certain skills you claimed you have, possibly resulting in the termination of your contract. You can also make your application look more trustworthy by using DataFlow to verify your documents which tells your potential employer how authentic your credentials are.
Be wary of former employers
Be careful of what past employers may say about you, especially if you are changing jobs within the same industry or domain. For example, if you were laid off for whatever reason, be upfront about it and before it gets leaked on the grapevine.
Tell the truth about your previous salary
This is the oldest trick in the book for job applicants who want to negotiate higher pay, and employers will see right through it by simply making a call to your former HR department.
When you disclose, you control the narrative
The bottom line is that when you lay all your cards on the table, you get a chance to control the outcome by explaining the situation instead of your potential employer drawing their own conclusions.
