70% of Job Applicants Lie on Their Resumes. But Why?
The statistics are staggering, but the reasons behind resume embellishment reveal deeper systemic issues in our hiring processes.
Candidate's Perspective
🔻 Unrealistic Expectations
Job descriptions list every possible skill as "must have," creating impossible standards.
🔻 Fear of ATS Rejection
Candidates are unsure if ATS truly understands their experience, leading them to add all possible keywords.
🔻 <10 Second Resume Scans
After spending hours crafting resumes, candidates know recruiters will give them less than 10 seconds, so they embellish to stand out.
🔻 "Be the First to Apply" Pressure
Job portals promote quick applications, leading candidates to hastily update resumes with AI assistance.
🔻 Limited Opportunities
Candidates feel they never get calls from dream companies, leading them to add exceptional achievements just to get noticed.
🔻 Genuine Skill Gaps
Some candidates lack certain skills but still want to try, leading to embellishment.
🔻 Peer Influence
Advice from friends who secured prestigious positions through resume embellishment perpetuates the cycle.
Does this mean 70% of applicants are inherently dishonest? Obviously, this statement is FALSE. However, the system leaves no room for candidates to be absolutely transparent about their capabilities.
The Bigger Problem
🚫 ATS Algorithms Supporting Keyword Stuffing
Data indicates that ATS rejects up to 75% of resumes. Many conventional ATS algorithms match keywords between job descriptions and resumes, unintentionally training candidates to stuff as many keywords as possible.
🚫 Surface-Level Screening
Screening processes evaluate candidates based on titles, past organizations, and current compensation, requiring exact experience matches for first-round interviews.
🚫 Urgency vs. Reality
There's urgency to close positions, but closure takes months. We lack time to understand candidate journeys, and recruitment teams are under constant pressure, choosing the safest evaluation method: past laurels.
Solutions for a Better System
🤝 Commitment to Fairness
Establish trust and transparency to ensure all resumes receive fair opportunities. With AI, companies can now send personalized feedback instead of just rejection notices.
🤝 Assess Skills, Not Accolades
Structured skill-based interviews enable apples-to-apples comparisons among candidates while keeping biases out of the system.
🤝 Bridge the Understanding Gap
Design clear, realistic job descriptions. Spend time with recruiters to help them understand required functional and behavioral skills instead of just handing them requirements.
🤝 Make Candidates Accountable
Provide interview feedback on improvement areas. If possible, offer learning resources and encourage reapplication.
Candidates don't lie to game the system; they lie to cope with the system.
What's Your Take?
The solution isn't to blame candidates for adapting to a broken system, but to fix the system itself. By creating transparent, fair, and skill-focused hiring processes, we can encourage honesty and find better matches between companies and candidates.