When potential job candidates are looking to work for a company, they’ll do almost anything to stand out from the crowd. Whether the résumé is visually stimulating, features a bold-faced lie, or has a few typos, hiring managers are tasked with thumbing through hundreds of résumés in order to find the perfect candidate. Statistically, a majority of employers spend less than 5 minutes reviewing a resume, and some even spend less than 2 minutes.
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A recent survey, released by CareerBuilder, highlights some of the major blunders applicants have included when applying for a job. These include:
- Applicant claimed to be a former CEO of the company to which they were applying.
- Applicant claimed to be fluent in two languages—one of which was Pig Latin.
- Applicant wrote “whorehouse” instead of “warehouse” when listing work history.
- Applicant’s personal website linked to a porn site.
- Applicant introduced himself [in the cover letter] by saying “Hey you.”
- Applicant vying for a customer service position gave didn’t “like dealing with angry customers,” as the reason for leaving her last job.
- Username of applicant’s email address was “2poopy4mypants.”
- Applicant claimed to be a Nobel Prize winner.
- Applicant claimed to have worked in a jail when they were really serving time.
- Applicant who claimed to be HVAC-certified later asked the hiring manager what “HVAC” meant.
- Applicant said to have gotten fired “on accident.”
- Applicant claimed to have attended a college that didn’t exist.
- Applicant for a driver position claimed to have 10 years of experience but had only had a driver’s license for four years.
- Applicant listed as a reference an employer from whom they had embezzled money. There was an arrest warrant out for the applicant.
- Applicant’s stated job history had him in three different companies and three different cities simultaneously.
CareerBuilder also says that lying is definitely one way to not get the job. More than half (56 percent) of the participants in the survey say they have caught a lie on a resume. The most common lie citied was embellished skill sets, followed by dates of employment, job titles, and academic degrees.
Rest assured, CareerBuilder also offers tips on what employers are looking for in a résumé. Employers are interested in résumés that are customized for the open position, accompanied by a cover letter, addressed to the hiring manager or recruiter by name, and include links to the applicant’s online portfolio, blog, or website. Just make sure to double check the URLs before sending your résumé!