Coming across a candidate with a seemingly perfect resume is exciting. You might be tempted to hire them on the spot, but don’t get ahead of yourself. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for people to lie on their resumes, so proceed with caution.
It’s important to perform proper due diligence to make sure the candidate truly measures up to their resume. Here are a few red flags that could indicate the truth isn’t being told.
4 Signs a Candidate Might Be Lying on Their Resume
Major Career Jumps
If a candidate shifts directly from entry-level to the C-Suite, consider this a suspicious move. Even the most talented professionals have to pay their dues, so they’re probably either lying or working for a less-than-legit company. Moving up the corporate ladder takes time for a reason, so either way, it’s unlikely they have the skills and experience needed to excel at the position.
Mysterious Employers
As an honest person, it might seem ridiculous to you that candidates would even think of listing a fake company on their resume, but it happens. If a Google search displays zero results for the company — or results that don’t align with the resume — this is a bad sign. In 2019, it’s nearly impossible for a legit company to have absolutely no digital footprint.
Social Media Inconsistencies
No doubt, you’ll perform a social media background check on all candidates you’re considering bringing in for an interview. If the career information on a person’s resume is drastically different than their LinkedIn profile, something is up. The same goes for multiple social media profiles with a very different employment history. When people get caught up in a lie, it can be hard to keep the facts — or social media profiles — straight.
Inability to Perform in the Hot Seat
If a candidate fails a skills test they should presumably ace, given the skills and experience noted on their resume, this is a problem. A few mistakes are excusable, as no one is perfect and people tend to get nervous when a job they really want is on the line. However, overall poor performance is a clear indicator the information on their resume was greatly exaggerated or completely fabricated.
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