White Lies On Your Resume
Alexa Ehrlich | January 21st, 2011
Ever told a white lie on your resume to land that perfect job? And I’m not talking about lying about experience or education. I’m talking about wanting a job in a new city so you use a friend’s address whose already living there.
Well, my friend Corey was just applying for jobs in Chicago and after being rejected several times he decided he was sick of hearing ”we gave it to someone who already lived in the city.” So he took the matter into his own hands and asked a friend of his, was it okay to use their address for a little while? He thought this was all fine considering he had plans to move to the city upon receiving a job anyways.
I’m currently living at home and applying for jobs. Reason being is my parents are helping to support me financially while I apply for jobs. And while I sit at home months after graduation, still working several part-time jobs, my friends who moved to Chicago months ago unemployed right after graduation are now employed. Did they do it right? I think yes! Many of them moved to the city and then job searched. Is my home address hurting me? Should I start using one of their addresses and see if I hear more “yes’s” back?
Another friend got a call back from a job in New York. This was when she was still living at home with her parents in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The lady who called said, “I really like what I see on your resume, but I can’t take you serious… call me when you’re in New York.” So, in hopes of landing a great job she packed her bags and was in the city subletting an apartment the next week. When she called the lady she said, “I didn’t think you’d really move, now we can talk.” So once again, is living at home and saving money not reasonable and hurting me more in the long run? Do I need to go stay with a friend for a week in the city and walk door to door applying for positions, using a fake address… to even have someone think twice about me?
And the most recent piece of advice I received, from a good friend Jillian, is to always appear to be employed. Technically it’s not a lie. I do work several part-time jobs and it is more appealing to an employer to hire someone who is already employed than someone who is unemployed. Shows you’re doing things and aren’t just sitting around twiddling your thumbs. So don’t shy away from admitting what you’ve been up to in order to keep your mind in the working world and what you’ve been doing to stay busy. Personally I have been substitute teaching in the public school system, writing for this lovely blog (which I enjoy so very much), and about 3 other part-time positions when time allows.
What are your thoughts about having white lies on your resume? Please comment!
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Tags: alexa ehrlich, false address on resume, resume, six degrees of zr
About the Author: Originally from Danville, Illinois, I received my Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism and Second Concentration in Gender Studies from Indiana University Bloomington in May 2010. I am now an aspiring Broadcast Journalist with great experience in the field, which I have obtained through various internships and with my involvement in IUSTV, the student produced news team at Indiana University.I am excited for new challenges and new learning experiences with each day in this field of work.I enjoy writing, volunteering in my local community, traveling, reading, and working out. I am eager to see where my degree will take me! For now I am so happy to have the opportunity to be contributing to SDZR.
January 21st, 2011 at 11:33 am
Great blog Alexa. White lies and/or stretching the truth can help……or hurt. Lying about experience or education is a definite no-no. Using someone else’s address? As someone who reviews applicant resume’s, I honestly have never questioned the home address on the resume. And actually, I wouldn’t care. I can’t believe companies care about where a person is living. If they are qualified and are willing to move, they should be hired. I mean c’mon, I just moved halfway across the country with my family for a job and we did it in a month’s time. So as an employer, I couldn’t care less where someone lives as long as they will be the right fit and on the job on the proposed start date.
As for always being employed? ABSOLUTELY. When a company knows that you are comfortably employed, they know you aren’t desperate and are probably just looking for the possibility of moving up in a particular industry. That is exactly what happened to me. My boss was intrigued that I would move my family halfway across the country when I was already gainfully employed. It really helped me land my current position.
January 23rd, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Thanks for the comments Michael! It’s very interesting to me that you’ve never really paid much attention to the address section on the resume’s you’ve had the opportunity to look over. My best guess is that the reason companies care so much where someone lives is because they don’t want to have to pay relocation expenses. I mean besides that I don’t see why it matters if like you said, the applicant is fully qualified & willing to move!
As far as always appearing to be employed on your resume (“just looking for something better”), you’re not the first person whose told me that that’s important so people reading this definitely take note of that! Some very good sources are recommending that you always display current employment it only helps.
Any one else have suggestions you thought of stemming from this article? Any advice is much appreciated, thanks again for your comments Michael!