Did you know that 78% of job seekers use AI tools to help generate a professional resume? Resumes generated with AI or aided by AI tools often rely heavily on buzzwords and exaggerated skills, making candidates appear more qualified than they truly are. This can make it challenging for recruiters to differentiate between genuinely skilled individuals and those who have crafted resumes that sound impressive but lack substance, ultimately presenting fraudulent resumes.

Resume fraud is when a job candidate provides false or misleading information on their resume to appear more qualified than they actually are. This can include:

• Fabricating Work Experience – Claiming jobs or roles that were never held.
• Exaggerating Responsibilities – Overstating the impact or scope of previous work.
• Lying About Education – Listing degrees that were never earned or attended institutions that were never enrolled in.
• Faking Certifications – Claiming credentials that were never obtained.
• Providing False References – Listing fake or unqualified references.
• Altering Employment Dates – Extending tenure to cover gaps in employment.

‍

During the interview, use strategic interview techniques to detect exaggerations:

1. Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral interview questions ask candidates to describe past experiences, which can help reveal whether their resume claims hold up.

• Example Question: “Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a complex problem at work? How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates often have difficulty giving specific, detailed examples of their past roles or accomplishments.
• Example Question: “Tell me about a project you led. What was your role and how did you ensure its success?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may offer vague answers or avoid specifics about their involvement in the project.

2. Probe for Specifics and Context

Ask for specific details that can’t easily be faked or exaggerated. Fake candidates often struggle to provide concrete answers when asked about specifics.

• Example Question: “You mentioned improving sales by 20% in your last role. Could you walk me through the steps you took to achieve that?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may not be able to articulate the process or metrics behind their accomplishments.
• Example Question: “In your previous role, you worked with a team to complete [specific task]. How did you contribute to the team’s success, and what was your specific responsibility?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may provide generic answers or struggle to explain their role.

3. Technical or Role-Specific Questions

If the candidate lists specific technical skills, asking in-depth questions about these skills will help gauge their true level of expertise.

• Example Question: “I see you have experience with [specific software or technique]. Can you walk me through how you would use it in a practical situation?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may either give vague answers or fail to answer the question correctly.
• Example Question: “In your previous role, how did you apply [specific methodology or tool]? Could you describe a specific instance where it helped solve a problem?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may not be able to describe the practical application of the claimed skills.

4. Ask About Challenges or Failures

Fake candidates often focus only on successes. Asking about challenges or setbacks forces them to provide more detailed and potentially less rehearsed responses.

• Example Question: “Tell me about a project or task that didn’t go as planned. How did you handle the situation and what did you learn from it?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may provide generic answers like, "It was a learning experience," but lack concrete examples or struggle to explain how they overcame the issue.
• Example Question: “Have you ever faced a major challenge with a team member? How did you resolve it?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may not be able to give specific examples of interpersonal issues or their role in resolving them.

5. Ask for Data and Metrics

When a candidate claims impressive results (e.g., sales growth, cost reduction, or team improvements), request data to back up their claims. This puts them on the spot to provide evidence of their achievements.

• Example Question: “You mentioned increasing team productivity. Can you provide any specific numbers or data to show how you measured this improvement?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates often can’t provide real, measurable data or may provide fabricated statistics.
• Example Question: “You listed a reduction in costs by X%. How did you calculate that, and what steps did you take to achieve it?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may have no way to verify these numbers, and their answers may become inconsistent.

6. Ask About Company-Specific Details

If a candidate mentions working at a certain company, ask them about specific things they did in that role. Fake candidates may not know much about the company or their role if they’re embellishing their experience.

• Example Question: “I noticed you worked at [company]. What was the company culture like, and how did it influence your work there?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may not be able to recall the culture, the people, or even specific projects they supposedly worked on.
• Example Question: “I see you were a project manager for [company]. Can you describe the typical project lifecycle and your involvement in the key stages?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates might struggle to provide details that demonstrate genuine knowledge about the company’s processes.

7. Behavioral Consistency

Observe if the candidate’s responses are consistent throughout the interview. Fake candidates often give inconsistent answers when asked about the same thing in different ways or at different stages of the interview.

• Example Question: After asking the candidate about a past achievement, ask a follow-up question like, “What was the first step you took when you encountered this challenge?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may provide conflicting answers that don’t add up or seem inconsistent with their first response.

8. Ask About their Learning & Development

A candidate who exaggerates their qualifications may not be able to provide answers regarding ongoing learning or professional development.

• Example Question: “What’s the last professional development course or training you took? How has it influenced your work?”
  
  • Why It Works: Fake candidates may not be able to provide recent examples of professional growth or may list vague courses they didn’t actually take.

‍

Here are some thing you can do to take it a step further:

‍

1. Verify Employment History

• Call listed employers to confirm job titles, dates, and responsibilities.
• Use LinkedIn to cross-check employment claims.
• Check for inconsistencies in job titles, responsibilities, or gaps.

2. Validate Education & Certifications

• Contact universities to confirm degrees and attendance dates.
• Use online verification tools (e.g., National Student Clearinghouse for U.S. institutions).
• Look for fake universities (diploma mills are a common red flag).

3. Assess Skills with Tests

• Give technical assessments for roles requiring specific expertise.
• Ask detailed questions about past projects to gauge real experience.
• Look for vague or scripted answers that may signal dishonesty.

4. Scrutinize References

• Call references directly and verify their relationship to the candidate.
• Search reference names online to ensure they are real professionals.
• Watch for generic feedback that lacks specifics about the candidate’s work.

5. Analyze Resume Patterns

• Check for inflated job titles that seem too senior for experience levels.
• Look for overuse of buzzwords without real project details.
• Be cautious with long gaps followed by impressive job titles.

‍