Let’s be honest, people have been lying on their resumes since the invention of resumes. A little finessing here, a made-up title there, all in the name of catching a hiring manager’s eye. But now, with automated systems, unrealistic job descriptions, and a job market built like an obstacle course for the underqualified, we’ve entered what can only be called the golden age of resume lies.

A new survey from Career.io breaks down who’s lying, what they’re lying about, and — no surprise here — which generation has turned creative embellishment into an Olympic sport.

The ATS Effect

Turns out, the majority of job seekers aren’t being totally honest. A recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of workers (64.2%) admitted to fibbingh on their resumes. Why? Because the system itself practically demands it. Most resumes never even reach human eyes thanks to applicant tracking systems (ATS) powered by AI. Unless you hit the perfect combination of buzzwords, experience, and luck, your perfectly fine résumé might as well be a grocery list. People, especially younger workers, are gaming the system. Because it works.

Men Lie More Than Women

Career.io’s survey of 1,000 full-time workers found that men are more likely to lie than women, with 33.2% of men admitting to it versus 21.1% of women. Aside from gender, age is another factor.

Boomers: 9% said they’d ever stretched the truth.

Gen X: A cautious 20.4% admitted to lying.

Millennials: Up to 38.5%.

Gen Z: A whopping 47% say they’ve lied on their resumes.

Nearly half of Gen Z is fudging some part of their job history to get in the door. And frankly, given the pressure they’re under, it’s understandable. Meanwhile employers have noted that many Gen Z candidates come into interviews unprepared and struggle with basic workplace social skills, like making small talk. Combined with existing stereotypes, this has created even more pressure for Gen Z job seekers—leaving them more anxious about the job hunt than older generations.

Gen Z Lie About Nearly Everything

When Gen Z lies, nearly everything is fibbled, the survey found:
23% of Gen Z workers have lied about job responsibilities.

22% have straight-up invented jobs that never existed.

17.6% lied about titles.

24% exaggerated or faked skills — whether technical or soft.

And 11.4% even fibbed about educational credentials.

It’s not hard to see why. Many “entry-level” roles now demand years of experience, fluent industry lingo, and six arms. Employers are asking for unicorns, and Gen Z is just showing up in a horse costume with glitter.

The Stereotype Might be Making it Worse

For years Gen Z has been labeled everything from “entitled” to “unprofessional” — often by the very companies that refuse to train them, then complain when they don’t show up interview-ready. Add sky-high unemployment rates, mass layoffs targeting younger staff, and a job market that punishes inexperience with silence, and it’s no wonder this generation feels backed into a corner.

Many Gen Zers feel they have to lie just to get a chance to prove they’re capable.

Even Recruiters Know Everyone’s Lying And Many Don’t Care

The kicker is, most recruiters expect it. A separate survey found that only 34.4% of hiring managers would outright reject a candidate they caught in a resume lie. Many recruiters even encourage applicants to “reframe” their experience (which is resume-speak for “bend the truth, just not enough to get sued).” The unofficial rule might as well be to sretch, not snap. Don’t lie about things that can be verified — like degrees or dates. But if you exaggerated your role a little or tweaked a title to reflect your actual duties better, you’re probably not the only one.

So… Should You Lie on Your Resume?

It depends. Amanda Augustine, a certified career coach with Career.io, warns against outright falsification. “Focus on reframing your experience rather than falsifying it,” she advises. While one well-placed exaggeration might help you land an interview, a background check can end your chances just as fast.

But the bigger issue isn’t the lies. It’s the fact that the system pushes so many people into thinking lies are their only way forward.

Closing thoughts

Gen Z may be lying more than anyone else, and it’s not because they’re lazy or unethical. One of the most widely debated causes is the hiring system is fundamentally broken. Entry-level jobs require experience no one’s been given the chance to earn. AI screens people out before they’ve had a shot. And companies continue to lean on tired stereotypes about young workers while offering them little support.

In the meantime, resume lies are becoming less of a scandal and more of a survival strategy. If we want honesty, maybe we should build a job market that doesn’t punish truth-tellers.

Until then, expect a few extra bullet points on everyone’s LinkedIn.