Latest news with #AmandaAugustine
NDTV
26-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Gen Z Leads In Lying On Resumes To Land Jobs, Experts Say "Can't Really Blame Them"
A survey has revealed that nearly 50% of Gen Z (born 1997–2012) admitted to lying on job applications, far outpacing older generations. The survey conducted by showed 47% of Gen Z falsified details to align with employer expectations, compared to 38.5% of Millennials, 20.4% of Gen X, and 9.4% of Baby Boomers. Key areas of fabrication for Gen Z included job responsibilities (28.38%), work experience (22.97%), and job titles (17.57%), with some respondents lying in multiple areas. The findings, detailed in a spreadsheet shared with Fox News Digital, highlight widespread resume padding among younger workers, from exaggerating skills to claiming incomplete degrees, fueling ongoing debates about application honesty. What Do Experts Say Certified Professional Career Coach Amanda Augustine attributes the dishonesty on job applications to young applicants' eagerness to make a good impression and secure a job opportunity, particularly those with limited experience. According to Ms Augustine, this desperation drives them to embellish or falsify information to stand out and increase their chances of getting hired. "You hear so much of people complaining about this big resume hole their applications have fallen into, and it's out of sheer desperation that they're trying to enhance their experience in a way that will hopefully land them at least that interview," she said. "I think it's that sentiment across all generations, but especially this younger generation that has not necessarily had to face the job market before, is really fueling some of these white lies, some of these flat-out lies that they're putting on applications," she added. Drew Powers, founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "Exaggeration on a job resume or application is just par for the course across all generations. Gen Z currently has the least amount of time in the workforce, and therefore, the most entry-level job experience. Is a business owner more likely to hire someone whose experience is listed as 'waitstaff' or 'Hospitality Experience Specialist'?...We cannot blame Gen Z for their youth, and I'm OK with a little artistic hyperbole. At least it shows some level of creativity." HR consultant Bryan Driscoll believes that the real issue isn't Gen Z's dishonesty on resumes, but rather the flaws in the job market. Mr Driscoll believes that lying on a resume isn't illegal. Instead, the problem lies in a system that rewards performative hustle, punishes honesty, and often ghosts candidates after they've invested significant time and effort, such as participating in multiple rounds of interviews and completing hours of unpaid work. Mr Driscoll argued that candidates are navigating a challenging environment, which may lead them to embellish or distort information to stand out. Why is it concerning? Gen Zers are already facing criticism in the workforce, with some employers questioning their preparedness and professionalism. According to an report, one in six businesses is hesitant to hire recent college graduates due to concerns about their preparedness for the work, communication skills, and professionalism. Six in 10 employers have already fired college graduates hired in 2024, suggesting that some Gen Z workers have struggled to meet expectations. Moreover, one in seven employers might refrain from hiring new college graduates in the next year, indicating that these concerns could impact Gen Z's job prospects shortly. As a result, Gen Z workers may need to work harder to prove themselves and overcome these perceptions to succeed in the workforce.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Nearly Half of Gen Z Is Lying on Job Applications
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Nearly 50 percent of Gen Z admitted to lying on their job applications, significantly higher than their older co-workers, a new survey said. The age cohort born between 1997 and 2012 was the most likely to lie or exaggerate on their job applications, with 47 percent of young workers admitting to doing so in a report. Why It Matters Gen Zers have already earned a somewhat negative reputation in the workforce. In a recent report, one in six businesses said they were hesitant to hire recent college graduates over concerns about how prepared they are for the work as well as their communication skills and professionalism. And six in 10 employers had already fired college graduates who were hired in 2024. One in seven said they might refrain from hiring new college grads in the next year as well. The LinkedIn app on a mobile phone. The LinkedIn app on a mobile To Know While some employers complain of Gen Z's work ethic once they get the job, it turns out many may also be exaggerating or even lying on their job applications. Nearly half, 47 percent, said they had exaggerated on their job applications, compared to 38 percent of millennials, 20 percent of Gen X and just 9 percent of baby boomers in the survey of 1,000 full-time workers. Across all age groups, one in four respondents admitted to lying, exaggerating or providing inaccurate information on their job applications. That can result in serious consequences for businesses, as reported that a bad hire can cost a business 30 percent of the employee's first-year earnings. For those who admitted to lying on their applications, 23 percent said they exaggerated their responsibilities in a past role, while 22 percent said they worked somewhere they never did. Men were more likely to lie on their job applications, with 33 percent admitting to the practice compared to just 21 percent of women. What People Are Saying Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach, in the report: "If you're worried that your experience isn't a perfect fit for a position, focus on reframing your information rather than falsifying Your resume is a marketing tool. While it's not necessarily a legal document, it also can't be a work of fiction. Its job is to present your skills and experience—your career story—in the best possible light without misrepresenting your qualifications." Drew Powers, founder of Illinois-based Powers Financial Group, told Newsweek: "Exaggeration on a job resume or application is just par for the course across all generations. Gen Z currently has the least amount of time in the workforce, and therefore the most entry-level job experience. Is a business owner more likely to hire someone whose experience is listed as 'waitstaff' or 'Hospitality Experience Specialist'?...We cannot blame Gen Z for their youth, and I'm OK with a little artistic hyperbole. At least it shows some level of creativity." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "While some are asking 'Why would Gen Z lie on job applications?' the better question may be 'Does Gen Z think they are actually lying in professional settings?' Being the first generation raised in the social media age, some of Gen Z really believe perception equals reality, and in the same way they may exaggerate their image or status when sharing with friends and family on an app, they may see little wrong with adding embellishments when applying for new opportunities. Of course, the downside is if they don't have the skills to match their claims, they could very quickly find themselves overwhelmed in the workplace or—even worse—without a job." HR consultant Bryan Driscoll told Newsweek: "Lying on a resume isn't illegal. Promising competitive pay and delivering $17 an hour should be. Gen Z isn't the problem. Our job market is. Candidates today are navigating a system that rewards performative hustle, punishes honesty and ghosts candidates after asking for five rounds of interviews and multiple hours of free work." Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek: "To be completely fair to Gen Z, those numbers are probably more in line historically. We probably don't have any true data as to how many lied on applications in the '50s, '60s or '70s, but I would venture to guess it wasn't absent any embellishment." What Happens Next Many hiring experts expect that candidates will embellish a bit on their job applications, especially if they're entering into an entry-level job. "Of course candidates exaggerate. Employers do it constantly in job descriptions. 'Fast paced environment' means understaffed. 'Family culture' means no boundaries or balance. 'Opportunity for growth' usually means there isn't any," Driscoll said. "We can argue ethics and morality until we're blue in the face, but this is about survival in a broken system."
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Nearly half of Gen Z admits to lying on job applications, survey finds
New survey data indicates that one in four job applicants has lied, exaggerated or provided inaccurate information on their applications in some way, shape or form — and Gen Z leads the trend. The findings from — a career services platform — indicate nearly half (approximately 47%) of the age group admitted to falsifying some aspect of their job applications to fit the mold they think employers are looking for, followed by 38.5% of millennials, 20.4% of Gen Xers and 9.4% of baby boomers. Advertisement A spreadsheet detailing the survey data, provided to Fox News Digital, indicates that a majority of zoomers (slang for Gen Z) lied in key areas such as 'work experience' (22.97%), and job 'responsibilities' (28.38%), with 'job title' coming in third at 17.57%. The large percentages indicate some survey participants falsified more than one area of their job applications. Across all generations, 'work experience' and 'responsibilities' ranked the highest out of all falsified categories, but to a lesser degree than zoomers. Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) Amanda Augustine told Fox News Digital the prevailing reason for the falsehoods is that young applicants with limited experience are desperate to make a good first impression and get their foot in the door. Advertisement 3 The large percentages indicate some survey participants falsified more than one area of their job applications. David – 'You hear so much of people complaining about this big resume hole their applications have fallen into, and it's out of sheer desperation that they're trying to enhance their experience in a way that will hopefully land them at least that interview,' she said Tuesday. Augustine has worked with multiple clients over the years to help them reach their full professional potential. She has heard many of these clients say they would be great for a role, even if they don't appear perfect on paper, and they only need the chance to prove themselves. Advertisement 3 Data indicates a majority of zoomers (slang for Gen Z) lied in key areas on their job applications. Seventyfour – 'I think it's that sentiment across all generations, but especially this younger generation that has not necessarily had to face the job market before, is really fueling some of these white lies, some of these flat-out lies that they're putting on applications,' Augustine said to Fox News Digital. The data appears to reflect a desperation to appear 'experienced' that steadily declines with age, indicating those still relatively new to the job market are uncertain about the navigation techniques they need to employ to find work. The dropoff between zoomers and millennials who admitted to lying with regard to job responsibilities was approximately 8 percent, with Gen Xers and baby boomers continuing to dial back the intensity. Advertisement In the 'work experience' area, zoomers' 22.97% still sat a few points higher than millennials' 18.70%. Compare that to Gen Xers and baby boomers at 9.51% and 3.59%, respectively. Augustine says some of the falsehoods, such as lengthening the time worked at a specific location, are done to mitigate the stigma of employment gaps, something job applicants are forced to confront from time to time. 'I think people are really trying to find ways to do little stretches of the truth that they believe will land them that interview so that those small inconsistencies will just kind of be swept under the rug and ignored if they make a great impression during the interview process,' she said. But lies and fabrications can lead to big problems and have done so in some high-profile cases. Veritas Software CFO Kenneth E. Lonchar for instance, lost his position after an investigation uncovered that he had falsified his academic records and USPS vice president of corporate communications William (Bill) Whitman Jr. was fired shortly after being hired for falsifying information about his academic background and work achievements. Augustine says, for those with limited experience who want to appear as capable as possible for a role, focus on taking an inventory of your skills. 3 Lies and fabrications can lead to big problems and have done so in some high-profile cases. fizkes – Advertisement 'There is such a greater emphasis placed on the soft skills such as collaboration, communication, problem solving. I mean, who doesn't need a creative problem solver for their business these days? I can't think of an industry where that wouldn't be helpful in some shape or form,' she said. But providing examples of times you have had to use the skills you profess to have or closing skill gaps through means such as taking an online course or learning from free demos are also important, she noted. Then there's networking — another useful tool in your tool belt if you're trying to get your foot in the door. 'I can't say it enough. Especially in this current economy and job market, networking is always going to be key. I don't care if you just graduated from school, or you have 30-plus years of experience. Everybody has a network, whether they realize it or not — that is your classmates, your mentors, your career advisors, your professors, people you've mentored in the past, people that you've worked with previously… If you aren't connecting with those people on LinkedIn and growing your professional network and investing in managing those relationships, you are doing your job search a major disservice.'
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Nearly half of Gen Z admits to lying on job applications, survey finds
New survey data indicates that one in four job applicants has lied, exaggerated or provided inaccurate information on their applications in some way, shape or form — and Gen Z leads the trend. The findings from — a career services platform — indicate nearly half (approximately 47%) of the age group admitted to falsifying some aspect of their job applications to fit the mold they think employers are looking for, followed by 38.5% of millennials, 20.4% of Gen Xers and 9.4% of baby boomers. A spreadsheet detailing the survey data, provided to Fox News Digital, indicates that a majority of zoomers (slang for Gen Z) lied in key areas such as "work experience" (22.97%), and job "responsibilities" (28.38%), with "job title" coming in third at 17.57%. The large percentages indicate some survey participants falsified more than one area of their job applications. Across all generations, "work experience" and "responsibilities" ranked the highest out of all falsified categories, but to a lesser degree than zoomers. Gen Z Branded As The 'Most Gullible Generation' After New Analysis Of Media Habits Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) Amanda Augustine told Fox News Digital the prevailing reason for the falsehoods is that young applicants with limited experience are desperate to make a good first impression and get their foot in the door. Read On The Fox News App "You hear so much of people complaining about this big resume hole their applications have fallen into, and it's out of sheer desperation that they're trying to enhance their experience in a way that will hopefully land them at least that interview," she said Tuesday. Augustine has worked with multiple clients over the years to help them reach their full professional potential. She has heard many of these clients say they would be great for a role, even if they don't appear perfect on paper, and they only need the chance to prove themselves. "I think it's that sentiment across all generations, but especially this younger generation that has not necessarily had to face the job market before, is really fueling some of these white lies, some of these flat-out lies that they're putting on applications," Augustine said to Fox News Digital. Gen Z Branded As 'The Ghosted Generation' As Dates, Colleges And Employers Keep Saying 'No' The data appears to reflect a desperation to appear "experienced" that steadily declines with age, indicating those still relatively new to the job market are uncertain about the navigation techniques they need to employ to find work. The dropoff between zoomers and millennials who admitted to lying with regard to job responsibilities was approximately 8 percent, with Gen Xers and baby boomers continuing to dial back the intensity. In the "work experience" area, zoomers' 22.97% still sat a few points higher than millennials' 18.70%. Compare that to Gen Xers and baby boomers at 9.51% and 3.59%, respectively. Augustine says some of the falsehoods, such as lengthening the time worked at a specific location, are done to mitigate the stigma of employment gaps, something job applicants are forced to confront from time to time. "I think people are really trying to find ways to do little stretches of the truth that they believe will land them that interview so that those small inconsistencies will just kind of be swept under the rug and ignored if they make a great impression during the interview process," she said. Covid 5 Years Later: Impact On The Workplace But lies and fabrications can lead to big problems and have done so in some high-profile cases. Veritas Software CFO Kenneth E. Lonchar for instance, lost his position after an investigation uncovered that he had falsified his academic records and USPS vice president of corporate communications William (Bill) Whitman Jr. was fired shortly after being hired for falsifying information about his academic background and work achievements. Augustine says, for those with limited experience who want to appear as capable as possible for a role, focus on taking an inventory of your skills. "There is such a greater emphasis placed on the soft skills such as collaboration, communication, problem solving. I mean, who doesn't need a creative problem solver for their business these days? I can't think of an industry where that wouldn't be helpful in some shape or form," she said. But providing examples of times you have had to use the skills you profess to have or closing skill gaps through means such as taking an online course or learning from free demos are also important, she noted. Then there's networking — another useful tool in your tool belt if you're trying to get your foot in the door. "I can't say it enough. Especially in this current economy and job market, networking is always going to be key. I don't care if you just graduated from school, or you have 30-plus years of experience. Everybody has a network, whether they realize it or not — that is your classmates, your mentors, your career advisors, your professors, people you've mentored in the past, people that you've worked with previously… If you aren't connecting with those people on LinkedIn and growing your professional network and investing in managing those relationships, you are doing your job search a major disservice."Original article source: Nearly half of Gen Z admits to lying on job applications, survey finds
Fox News
17-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Nearly half of Gen Z admits to lying on job applications, survey finds
New survey data indicates that one in four job applicants has lied, exaggerated or provided inaccurate information on their applications in some way, shape or form — and Gen Z leads the trend. The findings from — a career services platform — indicate nearly half (approximately 47%) of the age group admitted to falsifying some aspect of their job applications to fit the mold they think employers are looking for, followed by 38.5% of millennials, 20.4% of Gen Xers and 9.4% of baby boomers. A spreadsheet detailing the survey data, provided to Fox News Digital, indicates that a majority of zoomers (slang for Gen Z) lied in key areas such as "work experience" (22.97%), and job "responsibilities" (28.38%), with "job title" coming in third at 17.57%. The large percentages indicate some survey participants falsified more than one area of their job applications. Across all generations, "work experience" and "responsibilities" ranked the highest out of all falsified categories, but to a lesser degree than zoomers. Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) Amanda Augustine told Fox News Digital the prevailing reason for the falsehoods is that young applicants with limited experience are desperate to make a good first impression and get their foot in the door. "You hear so much of people complaining about this big resume hole their applications have fallen into, and it's out of sheer desperation that they're trying to enhance their experience in a way that will hopefully land them at least that interview," she said Tuesday. Augustine has worked with multiple clients over the years to help them reach their full professional potential. She has heard many of these clients say they would be great for a role, even if they don't appear perfect on paper, and they only need the chance to prove themselves. "I think it's that sentiment across all generations, but especially this younger generation that has not necessarily had to face the job market before, is really fueling some of these white lies, some of these flat-out lies that they're putting on applications," Augustine said to Fox News Digital. The data appears to reflect a desperation to appear "experienced" that steadily declines with age, indicating those still relatively new to the job market are uncertain about the navigation techniques they need to employ to find work. The dropoff between zoomers and millennials who admitted to lying with regard to job responsibilities was approximately 8 percent, with Gen Xers and baby boomers continuing to dial back the intensity. In the "work experience" area, zoomers' 22.97% still sat a few points higher than millennials' 18.70%. Compare that to Gen Xers and baby boomers at 9.51% and 3.59%, respectively. Augustine says some of the falsehoods, such as lengthening the time worked at a specific location, are done to mitigate the stigma of employment gaps, something job applicants are forced to confront from time to time. "I think people are really trying to find ways to do little stretches of the truth that they believe will land them that interview so that those small inconsistencies will just kind of be swept under the rug and ignored if they make a great impression during the interview process," she said. But lies and fabrications can lead to big problems and have done so in some high-profile cases. Veritas Software CFO Kenneth E. Lonchar for instance, lost his position after an investigation uncovered that he had falsified his academic records and USPS vice president of corporate communications William (Bill) Whitman Jr. was fired shortly after being hired for falsifying information about his academic background and work achievements. Augustine says, for those with limited experience who want to appear as capable as possible for a role, focus on taking an inventory of your skills. "There is such a greater emphasis placed on the soft skills such as collaboration, communication, problem solving. I mean, who doesn't need a creative problem solver for their business these days? I can't think of an industry where that wouldn't be helpful in some shape or form," she said. But providing examples of times you have had to use the skills you profess to have or closing skill gaps through means such as taking an online course or learning from free demos are also important, she noted. Then there's networking — another useful tool in your tool belt if you're trying to get your foot in the door. "I can't say it enough. Especially in this current economy and job market, networking is always going to be key. I don't care if you just graduated from school, or you have 30-plus years of experience. Everybody has a network, whether they realize it or not — that is your classmates, your mentors, your career advisors, your professors, people you've mentored in the past, people that you've worked with previously… If you aren't connecting with those people on LinkedIn and growing your professional network and investing in managing those relationships, you are doing your job search a major disservice."
