INDIANA — As competition for jobs intensifies and employers rely more heavily on artificial intelligence (AI) screening and applicant tracking systems (ATS), a new study reveals that millions of American workers are stretching the truth on their resumes to stand out.
According to new research conducted by resume.io, more than one in five U.S. workers (21.5%) admit to lying on their resume within the past year. The tendency to embellish experience is even more pronounced among active job seekers, with nearly four in 10 (38.9%) who searched for a job in the past year admitting to bending the truth.
The survey of 600 full-time U.S. professionals found that the most common falsehood is inflating job titles or responsibilities (5.5%), followed closely by exaggerating skills (5.3%). Combined, nearly one in nine workers (10.8%) admit to puffing up their title or skill set, while nearly one in 25 (3.8%) say they have claimed qualifications or experience they do not actually possess.
A Stark Generational Divide
The data highlights a significant generational split in resume honesty, with younger professionals far more likely to embellish their work history.
Nearly four in 10 Gen Z workers (37.1%) admitted to lying on their resume in the past year alone—more than 10 times the rate of Baby Boomers (3.7%). Gen Z also stood out as the only generation reporting job title inflation at scale, with 11.3% admitting to the practice compared to zero Boomers.
- Gen Z (18–27): 37.1% admit to lying on their resume
- Millennials (28–43): 29.3% admit to lying; most likely generation to claim false qualifications (6.0%)
- Gen X (44–59): 14.3% admit to lying
- Baby Boomers (60+): 3.7% admit to lying
While major embellishments skew significantly younger, the study found that subtler resume adjustments occur across all age groups. Similar proportions of Gen X (2.4%), Boomers (1.9%), Millennials (3.9%), and Gen Z (4.8%) admitted to adjusting employment dates to cover up career gaps.
Gender Disparities in Resume Honesty
The research also revealed a clear gender gap, showing that men are considerably more likely than women to misrepresent their credentials.
Men were nearly twice as likely as women to admit to lying on a resume (28.0% vs. 16.1%). Furthermore, men were more than three times as likely to inflate a job title (8.9% vs. 2.7%) and more than twice as likely to claim false qualifications or experience (5.5% vs. 2.4%).
Women, however, were slightly more likely than men to round up a past salary (1.8% vs. 0.7%). Among active job seekers, women were also more likely to keep their resumes completely honest (35.9% vs. 31.4%).
Expert Advice for Job Seekers
Career experts point out that while heavy competition and automated screening filters drive job seekers to exaggerate, the strategy often backfires during interviews or background checks.
“It’s not surprising that so many job seekers feel pressure to embellish their resume in a market this competitive, but the data makes it clear that pressure isn’t affecting everyone equally,” said Amanda Augustine, Certified Professional Career Coach and resident career expert for resume.io. “Younger workers, in particular, are entering a job market where competition is fierce, entry-level opportunities are limited, and employers are increasingly relying on AI screening and applicant tracking systems to narrow the field. It’s understandable that some candidates feel they need to polish their experience just to get noticed.”
Augustine emphasized that candidates can close skills gaps legitimately through online courses, professional certifications, personal portfolio projects, or volunteer work—demonstrating initiative that employers value just as highly as checking off every requirement.
To learn more about the survey methodology and explore career resources, visit the Resume.io Career Blog.
