The Top 10 Lies People Put on Their Résumés

The Top 10 Lies People Put on Their RsumsThe Top 10 Lies People Put on Their RsumsIf youve ever been tempted to insert a falsehood into your rsum to make you sound more qualified, youre far from alone. More than half of rsums contain lies, according to a 2012 study by Accu-Screen, Inc., ADP and the Society of menschlich Resource Managers.Its puzzling why anyone would make up his or her job history, especially when people can easily check references. A simple Google search can quickly uncover lies most of the time.Reasons vary greatly, from an applicant with a criminal record whos afraid his history would prevent him from being hired to someone looking to cover up an employment gap. Or maybe the job seeker simply doesnt have the required education or skills that a job requires, yet still feels hes qualified. Whatever the reason for the lie, there can be consequences beyond simply being caught.While theres no limit to what job applicants can lie about on their rsums, the consulting fir m Marquet International compiled this list of the top 10 lies.1. Stretching dates of employment. We keep being told that working anywhere less than a year looks bad. So rather than fess up to the fact, some people are fudging their timelines.2. Inflating past accomplishments and skills. Theres a difference between enhancing actual skills and accomplishments and flat out lying. If you didnt do it, or dont know how to use it, dont list it.3. Enhancing titles and responsibilities. This ones easy enough to confirm with a call to the past employer, but many human resources managers dont necessarily check up on every candidate (sad but true). Embellishing what youve done in the past can trip you up if youre expected to take on similar tasks now and find youre unequipped for the role.4. Exaggerating education and fabricating degrees. This lie is one that could not only get you fired, but might also incite legal action on the part of your employer. Its simply not worth the risk.5. Unexplain ed gaps and periods of self employment. Rather than make up a fictional job to cover an employment gap, try honesty. If you were taking time off to raise children, go back to school or simply find yourself, no employer will fault you.6. Omitting past employment. This is a gray area. Technically youre not lying (though weve all heard the lying by omission argument), but theres probably a reason you removed your belastung job from your rsum. Maybe you got fired and burned major bridges. Again, try honesty.7. Faking credentials. Just like with lying about education, this can have serious consequences that can affect your entire professional future. Enough said.8. Falsifying reasons for leaving prior employment. Theres a tactful way of explaining being fired or quitting abruptly, and it doesnt have to involve lying. Just figure out the best way to explain it in as positive a light as possible.9. Providing fraudulent references. Coercing friends and family to lie and act as your professi onal references can get them in trouble too. Value your friendships and look elsewhere for a genuine reference.10. Misrepresenting a military record. Because people in the military often get preferential treatment in the hiring process, it might be tempting to pose. But again, this is one of the more serious offenses when it comes to lying on your rsum, so if you value your future, keep your lips zipped.Honesty Really is the Best PolicyLying on your rsum doesnt end once youve been hired. Youve got to keep up the charade of each lie you planted for the rest of your career. Who can keep up with all of them?Even if youre convinced that telling the truth will keep you from getting hired, you might be surprised. No potential employer expects you to be perfect. And if they wont hire you because of the truth, its not the right role for you.Lindsay Olson is a founding partner and public relations recruiter with Paradigm Staffing and Hoojobs.com, a niche job board for public relations, commu nications, and social media jobs. She blogs at LindsayOlson.com, where she discusses recruiting and job search issues.

How to Tell if a Candidate Will Fit Your Company Culture

How to Tell if a Candidate Will Fit Yur Company CultureHow to Tell if a Candidate Will Fit Your Company CultureYou think youve found a great candidate for your job opening. Your potential employee has all of the right technical skills, experience and education. The bewerbungsgesprch went great - the candidate was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the job. The final step in the hiring process is determining if this candidate will be a fit with the company culture and the team youve worked so hard to build. How do you know? Here are some tips.Step 1 Define your company cultureThe first step comes long before youre at the point of making an offer to a candidate. Clearly assessing your own company culture first and knowing what type of employee you believe will fit in - before you start interviewing - is the key to making a good hire.This step is especially critical in todays fast-paced IT hiring environment. behauptung days theres no time for a long debate about fit with the workp lace environment. If you have a good candidate, you need to act quickly to make them an offer or they will move onto another opportunity.Step 2 Make the most of the interviewMaking the most of your interview (or interviews) is critical. Answers to specific questions and body language during an interview can also reveal a lot about whether or not a candidate will be a fit for the company culture. For exampleQuestions Asking what characteristics are exhibited by the best boss you ever had or tell me about the management style that allows you to do your best work provides insight into which type of company culture a candidate is successful in.Body Language Physical reactions to certain questions also can indicate where a candidates skills are and the type of work they value. Look for excitement or what makes the candidate light up and become animated when describing their past work.Stories Asking a candidate to share stories and accomplishments related to projects outside of paid wo rk helps identify the candidates passions and interests. These stories can convey a lot about a candidate without risking questions that may seem too personal.If youre working with a staffing firm, the recruiter may suggest a working interview in addition to a traditional interview. Working interviews can be a good option to examine how the candidate fits into the company culture at your firm. Having the candidate meet with your team and actually do the job for a day is a great way for both sides to get as much information as they possibly can before they make a commitment.Step 3 Trust your gutDo not ignore gut instinct. There is absolutely something to be said when a decision just doesnt feel right. Dig deeper and explore why the decision is causing you to step back. Is it hard to envision the candidate smoothly transitioning into your workplace environment?References are a great source to help you sort through any apprehension about fit with the company culture. Asking references specific questions about your concerns or having them talk you through an experience with the candidate can help expand your knowledge of how that candidate works and what workplace environment is best. Often this different perspective is exactly what you need to hear.Although hiring in todays tech world is moving at a rapid pace, do your due diligence quickly but efficiently. You dont want to hire out of desperation. If you do, that can cost everyone a lot in the long run.Interview technology candidates right awayIf youre hiring an IT pro, we can help make the process easier. You can see profiles of IT candidates in your area using our online database. Tell us who catches your eye, and we can arrange an interview or placement ASAP.Find web developer candidates in Austin, TexasFind software developer candidates in Boise, IdahoFind help desk analyst candidates in Charlotte, N.C.Find desktop support candidates in Sacramento, Calif.Find database administrator candidates in Tucson, Ariz .This post has been updated to reflect more current information.

Job Interview You Should Ask Questions Too - FlexJobs

Job Interview You Should Ask Questions Too - FlexJobsJob Interview You Should Ask Questions Too 24We hear a lot about preparing the perfect answers for questions sure to be posed during a job interview. And it certainly is important to be ready for anything an interviewer might throw at you, but dont forget to askquestions of your own.Asking an employer smart, informed questions during a job interview gives you a great opportunity to show off your knowledge about the company and industry, and to gather practical information about the companys culture and the position.Ask a few relevant questions that demonstrate youve done your research and that youre enthusiastic, and that will help you to make an informed decision as to whether or not this is the right opportunity for you, says Melanie Benwell of the Toronto-based recruiting firm PathWorks.Not having questions is the kiss of death in an interview, says Jodi R. R. Smith of Mannersmith Etiquette. If I get to the end of a 45 minute in terview and ask if you have any questions, and you do not, you are not going on to the second round.Heres how to ask questions that arerelevant during your job interviewResearchYou know that thing youve heard about there not being any stupid questions? Its not true, at least when it comes to job interviews. If a question exposes that you dont know the basics, it is a stupid question. Want an example? Here goes So, what is it you guys do around here anyway?Your questions during an interview should demonstrate knowledge. Such as, I read earlier this week that you are developing enter product here. What kind of campaign is planned to support the launch of the product? (And if you want to ice the cake, offer some suggestions if appropriate).Dont Tip ToeIf you want to know about the companys hierarchy, work style, future plans or whatever- just ask. Your interviewer expects questions.In todays economy with an abundance of job seekers Ive found some candidates more hesitant to ask questi ons, Amy Carpenter, a Vice President with Ticket City who frequently conducts interviews. Maybe its due to the fact they fear theyll question themselves out of a job by coming across as too particular or aggressive. In either case, what theyre actually displaying is indifference or disinterest.Know What to AvoidThere are, however, some topics that you shouldnt broach during the interviewing stage. Stay away from questions about compensation, benefits and time off. At this point you want to show more about what you have to offer than what you hope to gain.Also avoid questions, that focus on indifference, fear or job security. We live and work in times of great movement and lack of job security. Companies dont want the burden of needy employees, says Career coach Roy Cohen, who also wrote The Wall Street Professionals Survival Guide.And, come on, dont ask if the drug test is mandatory. If you have to ask, it means you probably wouldnt reisepassJust to get you started, here are some qu estions you may consider adding to your repertoire for your next job interviewWhat kind of characteristics are you looking for in the candidate?If this is a new position, what prompted the company to decide to create it?Do you have any hesitations regarding my background?How would you measure performance for this position?What do you see as the key challenges facing a person in this position?What makes this company different from competitors in the industry?What happened to the person who held this job previously?If you were evaluating my success 6 months from now what would make it a home-run?Where will the company be in three to five years and how will it get there?What challenges are being faced by the company?How do people typically work together here?What is the management style here?Todays blog post comes fromCareerBliss.com, an online career community dedicated to empowering people with the tools and resources they need to make happy career decisions. CareerBliss has more tha n 600,000company reviews, a database ofsalary informationandmillions of job postings.Readers, do you ask questions during your interview? What kind of questions do you ask? Tell us in the comments below