Can a white lie get you your dream job

Should a little white lie on your resume catch you your ultimate job? Maybe so. If that lie got through and you hung onto the job because you performed up to the job description and your employer's expectations, was that so wrong? Absolutely... well I suppose... I guess so... maybe not?

I take offense with an article published in the Christian Science Monitor entitled 'Fibs Flow on Job Applications' relaying that recruiters routinely discard resumes containing perceived fibs regardless of the candidate's overall qualifications. If they find an error, on some previous job or salary that appears over inflated, wham, the resume is filed under 'G'.

Alright, for those of us who are honest when applying, more room in the job market. However, when I read my own resume, since I've been around quite a while and been on many interesting projects, even mine sounds 'out there'! Would my words fall on deaf ears too?

My roommate in university had many unique traits but his resume writing was one of the best. We were in computer science, and if he had even touched an, as yet unknown, computer, say during a tour, then he noted that he had 'operated an IBM xxxx mainframe' or some such thing. If he had seen some code of a new language, then he had 'experience with APL' or 'PL1' or the like. I never agreed with the practice but he happens to be a successful lawyer today. Hmmm.

On a side note, if applicants are not to fib, then maybe the major job boards should scrutinize their job postings as well. Job descriptions from some HR folks are inflated to put out a net for the super-applicant. Anyone actually working to one of those job descriptions would be a paper pushing, bag of frustration, bent on suicide. Worse, many recruitment firms apparently cast their own net by posting jobs that do not exist, only to attract an inventory of candidate resumes. Then there are the postings that leave out that pertinent piece of information, like if there is a base salary (for a sales job), or an approximate office location.

I respect that recruiters and employers may have to scan up to hundreds of resumes a day, but the industry should keep in mind that job hunters, often emotionally distraught, must wade through hundreds of postings as well.

So if the job hunter occasionally or inadvertently embellishes a job history, at least give him or her a chance to be heard if the qualifications are sound.