It is very likely that you have lied on your resume before. Let’s get the taboo out of the way. Recent figures show that you are not alone in this transgression. Almost 55% of Americans have lied at least once on their resume, according to a StandOutCV survey.
While your truth-bending might not make national headlines like Rep. George Santos’ (R-NYC) recent exploits, it’s tough having a job you got by lying. Assuming your resume misstep isn’t strictly illegal or life-threatening, the challenge of succeeding in your role is great when you’ve overdone your skills.
How can you survive in a job where you lied?
1. Admit if you don’t know
As a full-time talent advocate, I cannot support lying on your resume to get a job. There is a haunting quality to dishonesty. As Chief Human Resource Executive Gregory Giangrande wrote in the New York Post, “A lie told 20 years ago can kick you out of your company today.” But when you’re caught between a resume and a hard seat , stay determined on how you can be an asset to your team.
When faced with a difficult question or situation, you should be honest and say that you don’t have a solution right away. Admit the experience you have, and then ask questions that help solve the problem outside of you.
In an article for FastCompany, Karen Hebert-Maccaro wrote about how leaders make the mistake of having all the answers: “Leaders must give up the instinct to immediately answer a question with their best guess or idea. Instead, they should consider refocusing on solving the problem with a follow-up question.” Hebert-Maccaro’s questions include, “How can we maximize?” and “What is preventing us from achieving a higher goal or outcome?”
As a leader, activating your team’s creativity can lead to faster resolution. Regardless of your resume experience, the decision to listen first before taking action will lead to better leadership and group cohesion in the long run.
2. Ask for help
New employees always have questions. When you start your new job, take the opportunity to ask detailed questions about your responsibilities. Consider speaking to teammates to ask additional questions over time. One way to make this request is to ask, “Is it okay to ping you if I’m not sure about the best practices here?”
You’ve joined a team and they have information you don’t have. Asking for help does not mean lack of knowledge. It is often interrupted that as an employee you are interested and have made a purchase. The key is to get the job done once you have the answer to your question. When you get the job done, you show that you are doing the job sincerely rather than neglecting your responsibilities.
3. Improve skill
If your role requires you to have specialized skills that you don’t have, it may be time to learn more skills. Whatever you are missing, rest assured that there are resources online to get you up to speed. Consider taking courses on Udemy, an online learning and teaching marketplace with over 213,000 courses to take on your schedule. Subscribe to industry-specific newsletters and listen to relevant podcasts.
Closing the knowledge gap quickly is imperative in order to become a solid teammate. No one wants to burden someone who doesn’t know what’s going on at work, especially if they’ve initially convinced everyone otherwise. Qualification is your responsibility and obligation if your resume is intentionally inaccurate.
Lying on your resume is a gamble that doesn’t quietly go away once your job starts. Being open about your weaknesses and improving your skills are the first steps to staying afloat. While creative writing helped you get the part, it takes honest hard work to keep it.
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