George Santos' deceit shows why you shouldn't lie on your résumé

• Rep. George Santos admitted to making up much of his résumé and is facing calls to resign.
• It's not smart to misrepresent your work experience because doing so is easier than ever to catch.

Of all the people who've fibbed on their résumés — and there are lots — perhaps few have lied as brazenly as George Santos.

The Long Island congressman admitted to lying about aspects of his education, work history, and family background. Now the newly elected Republican is being pushed to resign, and prosecutors are considering whether his mistruths about his career — or others he has been accused of telling, about his campaign spending — count as crimes.

It's a high-profile example of the fallout that might result from lying about your qualifications. The lesson for us run-of-the-mill job seekers is simple: Be honest. In the digital era, it's not hard for hiring managers to uncover the truth.

"It used to be a lot easier to lie in the old days, but today you're going to get found out," Robert Kelley, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, told Insider. "The people of your past are still now part of your present because of social media. Things are more easily traceable."

Job applicants often exaggerate their work experience and skills

Fudging one's résumé is a common practice. A former CEO of Yahoo and a former dean of admissions at MIT have done it.

So, should you never lie? "This depends on your definition of a lie," Angela Watts, a former recruiter and human-resources consultant, told Insider via email. "It's okay to omit short stints of employment or early career positions in your resume, since it isn't assumed to be all-inclusive," she wrote.

"It's not okay to omit stints of employment on an application that requires all work experience for a period of time. You can clarify your non-traditional titles, but it's not okay to level-up your title if this isn't accurate."

Michelle Matthews, a career strategist in Chicago, said she'd seen lies running the gamut from trumped-up skills to made-up work experiences. "I tell people all the time," she said, "embellishing is the same as lying in some people's eyes, and so you're threatening the integrity of your character."

Even if you're not found out as a candidate, you're likely to be exposed eventually. "You're going to get into a job you can't do," she said. "And that's going to tarnish your reputation even more."

Smaller companies may not have the resources or tools to do a sufficient background check, said Kelli Hrivnak, a digital marketing and technical recruiter in an area covering Baltimore and Washington, DC. "But bigger companies are doing their due diligence. At some point, you're going to be exposed."

It's easier than ever for hiring managers to spot lies on your résumé

Hrivnak said recruiters use a combination of reference checks, background checks, and online sleuthing to ensure what you say on your résumé holds up. In the tech industry, recruiters often rely on assessments and tests to verify an applicant's skills, she added.

In-person interviews that include behavioral questions are also useful, Hrivnak said. "I'm looking for proof and evidence of how they've used their skills, so I say: 'Tell me about your recent project. Did you use that software or tool in your recent build?'" she said.

The way candidates answer, or fail to, is telling.

"If they're punting the question or skating around it, or if they're stumbling over their words and can't elaborate, then I know that they're not being truthful," she said.

Or at least an interview might uncover that an applicant fudged key details. "Someone might say they've got paid social experience, but when you drill into it you find that they've worked with a local coffee shop with a $50 budget," she said.

For those tempted to lie, Kelley of Carnegie Mellon recommends some introspection. What is it about yourself, he advised asking, that you feel is so deficient that you think you need to lie about it?

"Work on that first," he said.

Correction: January 12, 2023 — An earlier version of this story misspelled Robert Kelley's surname.