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MODULE 31: Resume Fraud
Core Module Issues:
• Are there “degrees” of resume fraud, or are all misrepresentations
equally unacceptable?
• Should candidates be automatically disqualified for any resume
misrepresentation?
Module Teaching Notes
You might want to start this discussion by rattling off some statistics about the current state of the economy.
At the time of this writing, it is quite lousy, but it may well be OK (or perhaps even more lousy) when you are
teaching your course. Economic data could lead to the question: is it more acceptable to stretch the truth
on a resume if jobs are scarce? (Hopefully you can steer the group to form a “no” consensus on this
question.)
Anyway, regardless of the state of the economy, resume fraud has become common. Recent studies
indicate that as many as a quarter of resumes make at least one significant claim that is not so.
And so, what is the proper response to resume fraud? How much effort should a company make to double
check claims made on resumes?
This is another module that tends to generate more-passionate-than-average debate, because many
students can identify closely with this issue. Many are submitting resumes as they take the course, and
many are angry that others may be lying in an effort to give themselves an unfair advantage in the job hunt.
Discussion Points for Scenario Questions
1. Rate the resume discrepancies of the four applicants who are soon-to-be college graduates.
Unacceptable ---------------------------------→ Not a Problem
Anderson 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
Benson 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
Caldwell 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
Davis 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
A. WHICH IS THE WORST DISCREPANCY? WHY?
B. WHICH IS THE LEAST UNACCEPTABLE? WHY?
2. Now, rate the resume discrepancies of the four applicants who are workers with experience.
Unacceptable ---------------------------------→ Not a Problem
Edwards 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
Franklin 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
Green 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
Henderson 1 ----- 2 ----- 3 ----- 4 ----- 5 ----- 6 ----- 7
A. WHICH IS THE WORST DISCREPANCY? WHY?
B. WHICH IS THE LEAST UNACCEPTABLE? WHY?
3. If you were Mary, which of the eight would you tell HR to no longer consider for
employment? Why?
A. LET THE STUENTS LIST THE RESUMES THEY WOULD IMMEDIATELY
DISCARD.
B. LET OTHER STUDENTS RESPOND AND GIVE THEIR OWN LISTS.
4. Assume that Mary and the other partners decide to examine the resumes of people who
currently work for the firm. Now assume that the same eight resume tricks are uncovered.
Should any current workers who are otherwise doing reasonably good work be fired or
disciplined over these kinds of “old” resume discrepancies?
A. SAME ANSWER AS QUESTION 3 – WHY?
5. Do you think that when resume discrepancies exist, it is more often an oversight or
deliberate? Or is it perhaps most commonly a deliberate thing that could be explained as an
oversight?
A. DELIBERATE – DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO DO THIS?
