ResumeTemplates.com Survey Reveals 1 in 10 Candidates Lied During the Hiring Process in 2023

Job applicants were most likely to lie about their skills and abilities, years of work experience, and responsibilities at previous positions

ResumeTemplates.com, the leading platform for free professional resume templates and examples, has published a recent survey report investigating how many candidates lied during the hiring process last year and what they lied about. The report also shares insight into the consequences of being deceitful on resumes or during job interviews. ResumeTemplates.com experts gathered and analyzed survey responses from 1,300 2023 job applicants in the United States.

According to the survey, 11 percent of candidates lied during the hiring process in 2023. Seven percent of respondents lied on their resume, 7 percent lied during an interview, and 4 percent cheated on an assessment. Candidates who say they lied on their resume were most likely to be untruthful about their ‘skills or abilities,’ ‘years of experience,’ ‘length of previous positions held,’ and ‘responsibilities at previous jobs.’ Likewise, candidates who say they lied during an interview were most likely to be untruthful about their ‘skills or abilities’ and ‘responsibilities at previous jobs.’

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“Intentionally lying is a calculated risk and remains a moral/ethical question as well; evidenced by the 49% of respondents who expressed regret about lying,” says Resume Template’s Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach Andrew Stoner. “While I would never encourage a candidate to lie, it is always beneficial to specifically tailor a resume for the target position and be well-prepared for any potential questions about skills and experience.”

Survey results highlight that 72 percent of candidates who lied during the hiring process received a job offer, compared to 62 percent of candidates who did not lie. Only 20 percent of respondents who lied say they faced consequences for being deceitful. In fact, 65 percent claim that lying ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ helped them get a higher salary. Additionally, 63 percent say lying ‘definitely’ or ‘somewhat’ helped them succeed professionally.

ResumeTemplates.com conducted this survey on December 21, 2023. In total, 1,300 respondents in the United States were surveyed. To qualify for the survey, respondents had to report that they applied to at least one job in 2023.

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