55% of U.S. adults admitted to lying on their resume at least once
December 29, 2025 at 4:36 pm
Common types of resume lies
Among those who lied:
- 55.4% exaggerated previous work experience
- 43.1% overstated skills
- 41% lied about having a college degree
- 21% admitted to falsifying employer references
Many workers lie beyond resumes
In a separate survey:
- 70% of U.S. workers said they have lied on their resume
- 76% admitted to lying in cover letters
- 80% said they’ve lied during job interviews
Fraudulent resumes often succeed
According to a 2024 survey:
- 6 in 10 people who lied on their resumes received a job offer
- 96% say their employer never discovered the dishonesty
Fake references and detection
Other research reports that around 21% of applicants in the U.S. have used fake references, and employers uncover about 29% of these fake references when they check.
Sources:
1. Cnbc.com
2. Forbes.com