Applying For Work - Does Lying On Your Resume Help Or Hurt You?

So I'm reading over one of those social networking sites and I come across this post about people lying on their resumes regarding their education or work history. Everyone has written that they would never lie about information on their resumes. Thats good to know but lets get real. For all of us, life happens and so does events that are not always a benefit or in our best interest. And frankly I've had enough of reading how wonderful and perfect everything is for everybody. So would lying on your resume help or hurt you? When there are circumstances beyond our control, what can we do? In retrospect I'm going to submit scenario's about what some people are faced with when they are trying to find a job. After reading this, I'd really like to know your thoughts or how you might have handled the situation. This article is about the reality and truth about some actual situations from people that haven't had it as good as some and are left to question, what can they do? Does not having an actual peice of paper saying you graduated from school or you have a GED make you unfit for employment? I don't think so. But any job you go to can require you to submit that peice of paper. What if its destroyed or lost? Would people have to study and retake a test to acquire a GED again? That would take alot of time and it cost money to take the exam. With todays internet, potential employers can easily verify this information for a fee. Its certainly good to have your certificates from your school, college or tradeschools, in order to present them, if needed. But if you don't have these things what would be a course of action or chances of finding work? 　

Altho' I believe in honesty is the best policy. There are those who have found that stretching the truth about "some" past work history may not be a bad thing. What if a person gets fired but they didn't do anything wrong? I've known young women who have gotten fired because they wouldn't date the boss. How does someone explain that situation to a potential employer? Or say a person was accused of doing something wrong at their job, but they honestly didn't do anything wrong. Someone else did. But the one who got fired was fired because they were responsible for the position at that time. As soon as a potential employer hears the word "fired" alot of employers automatically assume you are not a good candidate and you are not to be trusted. Not everyone has a spotless work history. And for some people its well deserved. But there are those who have just been unfortunate or things just didn't work out. People have to do what they can in order to survive in todays world. So altho' alittle of a persons work history may be stretched somewhat, its not all bad. Just be sure the information you do submit that can be verified is as accurate as possible. And whats with the credit history check as far as playing a role as your qualifications for employment? What does our credit history have to do with getting hired at a job? Is the employer going to use our credit card? Why would a person's credit history have anything to do with their job performance? Who past that policy?

Its a hard experience to swallow when a person doesn't get a job because they told the truth. For example, a person has an interview for a potential job. They are asked some rather personal questions about their past, i.e. criminal history or drug use. Nothing wrong about that. The interviewee is honest and tells them they have experienced drugs when they were younger. Or the have been arrested for a misdemeanor back in the day. Being honest can be liberating and the potential employee leaves the interview feeling good about being honest. Only later to receive a call from the interviewer telling them they are not going to be hired due to what they've divulged during the interview about their past. What is someone to do when they learn that telling the truth will not help them? What is a person to do when telling the truth isn't good enough? When filling out an application many people will not write about negatives and for good reason. But at the same time we have to be honest so we won't have to explain why we weren't, if found out, when being interviewed. Its like a double-edged sword. Then there is the person who was just released from jail. Of course we can't really hide that situation. There are records of that for sure. Everyone deserves a second chance. There are work release programs that can help newly released people. Its not always easy for them. They just have to follow through and go through whatever prodedures there are in order to get the help they need. And of course stay out of trouble.

Then we have the newly divorced, widowed or middle-aged person. You've been a housewife/husband or homemaker for the last 10 to 20 years. You haven't been employed or worked outside of the home. You find yourself in a situation where you have to make more money. Now what?

Point of interest: If housewives/husbands were to be paid: (Found at freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1626069/posts) According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a study released on

Wednesday, May 03, 2006. On average, a stay at home mother earned a yearly base pay of $45,697 and $88,424 in overtime. NEW YORK (Reuters) A full-time stay-at-home mother would earn $134,121 a year if paid for all her work. An amount similar to a top U.S. ad executive, a marketing director or a judge.

Your life circumstances have changed. You have to find a way to make a living. To support yourself. Your work history is from way back and you have no hard copy proof of some of the jobs you've done before because they were paid by cash only, freelance or your own business. Since most of your work history cannot be verified you still have to list it on an applicaton. Afterall it is your work history. Hopefully the potential employer will see your abilities and believe what is written as truth. What would be the chances of this person finding a job? For these people it is a daunting task to try to find a descent job. No doubt there are people who have similar circumstances or even worse circumstances. But the key to this is not giving up. Its in our nature, for most of us, to survive. To excel and to accomplish what we set out to do. Being as honest as possible will still work in favor of your success. A good thing is when you find an employer willing to give you a try. The best part is finding that job and being able to hold your own. So I ask you, upon reading these situations and imagine finding yourself in anyone of them. You are desperate for a job in order to survive and pay the bills, save your home, buy food. Desperate to get your life back on a stable track. What do you think you would do?

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When there are circumstances beyond our control, what can we do?