AccuScreen creates an annual Top 7 Resume Lies Report. This year we have decided to go one step further and break each resume lie down for you. Over the next few weeks we will be featuring one of the top resume lies for the week.

This weeks lie is “Dates of Employment”

It is somewhat common for people extend the from/to employment dates on their resume to cover up gaps in their employment history, even small ones. After all, hiring managers want to know why a job candidate has such a gap. No applicant wants to be put in the hot seat, trying to adequately explain themselves.

There are many reasons for such gaps. Could be that the applicant took time off from work to raise a family. Maybe a parent was ill and needed round-the-clock care. Perhaps the candidate was fired from one position, and the next position was a long time in the works. Whatever the reason, job applicants will go out of their way to avoid having to explain why.

But, from a hiring manager’s standpoint, that “why” can be a big deal. In the worst case scenario, a potential employee that lies to cover up gaps in employment may be hiding a far more sinister reason than a much needed mental health break. Some reasons for doing so may even be criminal.

The job search process for convicted criminals is a tough one; far harder than for the average citizen. This is obviously because many employers won’t even consider a convicted criminal for employment, regardless of the crime. For this reason, many convicted criminals, especially those who were incarcerated, will cover up their incarceration by fudging the dates on their resume. Although the applicant may believe this is the only way he or she can level the employment playing field, employers may open themselves up for any number of liabilities after hiring such an individual.

The right to make an informed decision aside, hiring managers need to know the legal status of the people they hire. People who lie about the dates of their employment:

• Waste the time and money of potential employers

• Put employers and fellow employees at risk if they have a criminal background

• Clearly display a lack of ethics

• Rob hiring managers of the right to make an informed decision

In an ideal world, all job applicants would be completely honest on their resumes. However, since this is not the case, employers must implement a hiring policy that includes thorough vetting of a candidate’s resume as well as a criminal background check before an offer of employment is extended.