More than 4 in 10 job seekers lie in their resumes: Hudson report

More than four in 10 job seekers falsify their resumes.

That is what recruitment firm Hudson found out in a recent employment survey of nearly 550 executives across key business sectors.

It said candidates are most likely to falsify job responsibilities and achievements in their job applications.

The survey revealed that exaggerating the extent of one's specific experience is common among candidates at junior levels, as they seek to secure promotion to more senior roles.

Other key areas include skill sets and remuneration.

However, the likelihood of this happening varies between sectors. Candidates in the IT sector are most likely to exaggerate their skill sets.

This is because up-to-date technical knowledge is vital in the industry and candidates may be tempted to claim specific areas of expertise that they do not have.

Hudson's executive general manager, Ms Georgie Chong, described dishonesty in resumes as a "reality" of the market place.

"Most big companies will have in place pre-hiring procedures that includes the candidates certifying that whatever information that is stated in their resume or application is true and where it is found to be untrue, the company reserves the right to take disciplinary actions or to terminate the contract."

The Hudson Report said many employers believe the cost of making an inappropriate hire makes the reference-checking process worthwhile.

But, Ms Chong admitted that sometimes dishonest candidates get away with it.

"While you have in place processes, they may or may not be adhered to in a stringent manner, so they do get away with it.

"Let's say you're conducting a reference check, you need to have certain experience because sometimes it's not what the referee says, it's actually what the referee doesn't say," she said.

Turning to the employment market, Hudson said hiring expectations continue to rise, though at a slower rate.

Fifty eight per cent of respondents across all sectors expect to increase headcount in the current quarter.

And given better economic times, nearly a quarter of companies say they are experiencing turnover rates in excess of 10 per cent.

Most respondents are optimistic about the next six months, with 87 per cent forecasting excellent or good company performance.

- TODAY newspaper