| "Official Résumé Wrong"! That was the | | | | applicants embellished their educational |
| headline in the Sports section of a popular | | | | backgrounds; 25% lacked job knowledge and 19% |
| newspaper a few years ago, when it was | | | | were dismissed or not eligible for rehire. |
| discovered that the then manager of a major | | | | The company randomly selected 1000 job |
| league baseball team had inaccuracies in his | | | | applicants on whom they had conducted |
| bio. He was not an "All-American basketball | | | | reference checks and education verifications, |
| player" and he did not "play basketball at | | | | and found that 35% of these candidates |
| UCLA prior to signing with the Dodgers". When | | | | presented "red flags". These candidates were |
| asked by the sportswriter, the manager | | | | already successful in the interview process |
| admitted the statements were incorrect, and | | | | and their positions ranged from general |
| said he should be judged by what he does on | | | | office to senior executives."Résumé |
| the field, not by what's written about | | | | fraud takes the form of exaggerated skills or |
| him.Fast forward to 2005 where it was widely | | | | duties at a previous job or a concealed |
| reported in newspapers and on the Internet | | | | termination", said one of Infocheck's |
| that an individual who was planning to | | | | co-founders. The company suggests that |
| purchase a football team had to revise his | | | | organizations "check before they hire" as a |
| Fact Sheet because it contained numerous | | | | way of protecting themselves from unexpected |
| errors. He did not play in the NFL nor the | | | | court costs, liability concerns and tarnished |
| CFL, neither did he play in the Little League | | | | brand identity.What should the regular Harry |
| World Series when he was 11 years old. He has | | | | Hardworker do? Protect his brand identity as |
| a degree in social work, not "a degree in | | | | well. In such a competitive marketplace, it |
| Business Administration with an emphasis on | | | | is tempting to twist facts, but think of the |
| Finance," as his original bio claimed.Are | | | | consequences when the truth is known. If you |
| these occurrences confined to sports? No! | | | | are currently pursuing a program at college |
| There have been incidents where individuals | | | | or university, don't state that you already |
| were caught misrepresenting themselves as | | | | have the degree or diploma. If you worked on |
| doctors, lawyers or professors. There was the | | | | a project as part of a team, be clear about |
| man who practiced medicine in the US and | | | | it. Don't give the employer the impression |
| Canada for 10 years before it was found out | | | | you did it all alone. It's OK to highlight, |
| he never had a medical degree and the | | | | and sometimes brag, about your achievements, |
| politician who had to quit his caucus when it | | | | because employers want to know what you have |
| was revealed he never attended law school as | | | | done with your talents, but exaggerating the |
| he claimed on his résumé.The offenders | | | | facts to gain an edge over other candidates, |
| are not always men, if you are beginning to | | | | is not OK.______________________Daisy Wright |
| wonder. In 1996, a former deputy minister of | | | | is President of The Wright Career Solution. |
| health in Alberta resigned from her position | | | | She is a career/employment coach and |
| because she inflated her academic and | | | | professional resume writer who helps |
| professional credentials when she claimed to | | | | individuals improve their employability and |
| have been "working as a visiting professor at | | | | enhance their self-esteem through effective |
| Princeton". Why do people misrepresent | | | | career coaching strategies. She can be |
| themselves on their résumés? Could it | | | | reached via email at or by website - - Daisy |
| be because of increased competition, a desire | | | | Wright. All rights reserved. This article |
| to stand out, or a longing for prestige?A | | | | from The Wright Career Solution may be |
| study conducted by Infocheck, a reference | | | | distributed or reproduced as long as the |
| checking firm in Toronto, found that 27% of | | | | copyright and website, are included. |