lie about gpa on resume

Press Enter to search

Recruiter’s Advice: Lying About GPA on Your Resume

It can be tempting to lie about your GPA on a resume, but it’s always better to tell the truth or leave your GPA off your resume entirely.

3 months ago   •   5 min read

Having worked hard to complete your degree, it's understandable to want to present your qualifications in the best light. But outside of university, is your GPA really that relevant? And if you didn't receive a 4.0, is it ok to exaggerate your score and tell a little white lie?

In short, No. You should never lie about your GPA on your resume. Instead, if your GPA is less than 3.0 or you have enough relevant experience, you should leave your GPA off your resume and focus on other relevant skills.

In this article, we'll discuss when to include or exclude your GPA from your resume, how to handle a low GPA honestly and efficiently, and why lying about your GPA is never a good idea.

Avoid lying about your GPA on your resume; instead, concentrate on showcasing your relevant experience and transferable skills. For a thorough evaluation, upload your resume to the tool below . It will provide suggestions on how to enhance the representation of your strengths.

Should you include your GPA on your resume?

It's a good idea to include your GPA on your resume if:

• You're applying for an entry-level position
• You're a recent graduate with limited experience
• The application specifically requests it

Consider leaving your GPA off your resume and focus on hard skills and relevant experience instead if you

• Have enough relevant work experience
• Are a mid to high-level candidate
• Have a GPA lower than 3.0

Make sure to tailor your resume to each application by including relevant keywords and hard skills. Use our Targeted Resume tool to identify any skills or keywords missing from your resume and receive personalized feedback on areas that can be improved.

Do employers actually consider GPA when hiring?

For entry-level candidates with limited experience, recruiters do consider your GPA when reviewing your resume. For positions that require a degree, recruiters often look for candidates with specific scores, and if you leave your GPA off your resume, a recruiter might assume you received a low score and reject your application.

The more work experience you have, the less relevant your GPA becomes. For positions that require 2 or more years of experience, or if you graduated from university over 10 years ago, including your GPA is optional, as recruiters are more interested in your recent work history than your university achievements.

Is GPA relevant for international applications?

GPA is a term mainly used in America, and other countries have different grading systems. For example, in the UK, degree certificates are classified into four categories: First-class Honors (equivalent to a 4.0 GPA), 2:1 Upper second class (equivalent to a 3.3 - 3.7 GPA), 2:2 Lower second class (equivalent to 2.7 to 3.0) and a third class (equivalent to 2.0 to 2.7 GPA).

For international applications, consider including your GPA alongside the domestic equivalent to make it easier for an international recruiter to understand the relevance of your qualification.

Can you lie about your GPA on your resume?

A little positive promotion is acceptable on your resume, but lying about facts is not. While not all companies check your GPA during the hiring process, it's easy for recruiters to check if they request a transcript from your university. It's, therefore, essential to present your GPA truthfully. Even an exaggeration of 0.1 can hurt your professional credibility if discovered.

Is lying about your GPA on your resume illegal?

While lying on your resume is not technically illegal (unless applying for a state or federal position), including false information will harm your professional reputation and discourage an employer from hiring you. Harmful lies can include lying about employment dates, claiming qualifications you don't have, or exaggerating your responsibilities beyond the bounds of your actual skills.

How to present your GPA on your resume

If you are including your GPA on your resume, write your score next to your degree in your Education section, as shown in the example below:

Recent graduates or entry-level candidates

For recent graduates or those applying for entry-level positions , your education will likely be your most recent experience and is very relevant to your resume. Include your resume GPA next to your degree, either at the top of your resume or after your work experience.

Mid to senior-level professionals

For mid-level candidates (with 2+ years of experience) and senior-level candidates (with 10+ years of experience), your GPA is not so relevant to recruiters as they are far more interested in your practical work experience and more recent accomplishments. At this stage in your career, it's better to omit your GPA from your resume and focus on more relevant expertise.

Students with incomplete degrees

If you are mid-way through your degree, you can include an "Expected GPA." This will be an average of your GPA over the last few years, generally rounded up. For example, if your previous two year's GPAs were 3.25 and 3.70, you can state your expected GPA as 3.6.

If you didn’t complete your degree , you can include it on your resume as "incomplete" and exclude your GPA. You can also list the first year of an undergraduate or bachelor's degree as a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE), and if you completed two years of a bachelor's degree, as a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE).

How to handle a low GPA on your resume

If you received a lower GPA than you would have liked, you can choose to include it or not, but note that if you omit your GPA, a recruiter might assume you have a lower grade than you do.

If your GPA is 3.0 or below, consider leaving it off your resume and focusing instead on transferable skills , relevant projects , and other qualifications. Highlight both professional and personal projects you completed during your course and relevant coursework to incorporate competitive keywords and hard skills.

Make sure to read the job application thoroughly, as you might have a GPA that meets the requirements, even if it's not a 4.0. For example, if they ask for candidates with a GPA above 2.5 and you have a 2.7, then you should definitely include your grade on your resume.

• Career Advice

Spread the word

How long should your executive resume be, is a 3-page resume too long, keep reading, how to name drop in a cover letter (without sounding pretentious), how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), why the job you interviewed for was reposted: the complete 2024 guide, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay updated with Resume Worded by signing up for our newsletter.

🎉 Awesome! Now check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription.

Please enter a valid email address

Oops! There was an error sending the email, please try later

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

• Resume Tips

Deciding When to Include GPA on Your Resume

When you’re trying to land a new role, you need to use everything in your arsenal to do so. Your grade point average (GPA) is the average score you got across all of your tests and courses. So, should you include this number when you are writing your resume?

In the following guide, we will take a look at the instances when you need to include your GPA on your resume, when you shouldn’t, and how you can get it right with examples. 

Should I put my GPA on my resume?

First up, let’s deal with the most burning question here: Should you put your GPA On your resume? There is not one clear-cut answer. Deciding whether to list your score depends on a range of factors. So, let’s outline the times you should and shouldn’t list your GPA. 

When you should include your GPA

You’ve just graduated. If you are a recent graduate and you lack real-world work experience, it may be worth including your GPA on your resume. 

You have a high GPA. Let’s say your GPA is more than 3.5. Congrats! This score shows that you are a cut above the rest, and so you might want to include it on your resume.

The employer requests it. In some cases, employers will request that candidates include their GPA in their application. If the job advert specifies that you should include this information, you need to do so. There is a reason they want to see it.

When to leave your GPA out 

You have an honors title. If you graduated with an honors title, the hiring manager will immediately be able to see your educational prowess. You don’t need to include your GPA on your resume as it will add little to it and take up space. 

You have a low GPA. Are you worried about your GPA dragging you down? If your score is low, you might want to leave it off your resume completely. As we will discuss later, there are plenty of ways to prove your worth without it. 

You graduated some years ago. If you graduated five years ago, there’s no need to include your GPA on your resume. In fact, doing so may look like a bizarre move. At this point, you should be focusing on your work experience instead. 

Do employers care about your GPA?

For larger and well-known companies like Ford and General Motors, GPA can be a very important factor for establishing baseline criteria for employment. Other large firms use similar hiring criteria, and for similar reasons. 

Many of these firms actively recruit on college campuses across the United States, and need a way to quickly differentiate between different groups of applicants. For that reason, your grade point average offers a useful metric to accomplish that goal.

So, some employers do care about your GPA and may reject candidates below a certain threshold. These tend to be large companies with steep competition for entry-level jobs.

Do employers do a background check to verify your GPA?

An employment background check doesn't typically involve your academic transcripts, but a hiring manager may ask you to provide that information. This happens in some exceptionally competitive entry-level positions.

If a company has hundreds of graduates applying for the same position, then a GPA on your resume may be important to the employer or hiring manager. 

In this case, there is a good chance they could ask you for a copy of your transcript to verify your GPA. You should keep this in mind when deciding whether to include your GPA on your resume. If you choose to do so, you need to make sure that it’s 100% accurate.

How to format your GPA on your resume

By this point, you should have decided whether to list your GPA on your resume. But do you know how to do itt? It should come as no surprise that this score belongs in your education section. However, if you have never included it before, you need to get the format right.

As a general rule, you should list this score next to your degree — make sure that it is as close as possible on the page. The hiring manager should immediately be able to see what the GPA correlates with when they glance at your resume. 

The format you use will depend on the style of your resume. If you don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some ways to put your GPA on your resume: 

GPA on resume example 1

Bachelor of Science, Engineering (GPA 3.68)

Boston College, 2022

GPA on resume example 2

Bachelor of Science, Boston College, 2022

Major: Engineering | GPA 3.68

GPA on resume example 3

Bachelor of Science, Engineering | GPA 3.68

Should you lie about your GPA?

No. Lying is bad. We know this. Moving on.

Lying about your GPA on your resume can have some serious consequences. You may think that the worst-case scenario is that you don't get the job offer or called in for an interview. In fact, the worst-case scenarios are if you do get the job.

Let’s take a quick look at the facts. Here is what can happen if you do get the job after lying about your GPA.

Scenario 1: You get hired and the company later decides to verify your GPA. Not only will you get fired, but you may also have ruined future opportunities. What happens if your next employer asks why you left your last job ? Or if they can contact a reference at your previous job? Put simply, it’s not worth taking the chance on this one. 

Scenario 2: You get hired and after some time, the company decides to promote you to a higher-level position. They may look to verify your education and GPA. When they catch you in the lie, you're now jobless with a longer work history. It will look even worse for you if your next employer can't contact anyone from your last company.

What are the chances of getting caught lying about a GPA?

This is impossible to measure. But that doesn’t mean that you should lie about your GPA on your resume. Do people get caught? Yes. Is it likely? No.Is it worth it? Also no.

Not only do you risk losing your job if you do get caught lying, but you also risk some serious damage to your future. There have been numerous cases of well-known executives getting fired because they lied about their GPA or degree.

One famous case involved the CEO of Yahoo who got caught years later lying on his resume about a degree which he never had. The results were not good. While you're probably not applying for a CEO role out of school, you never know where you'll end up. Getting caught in a lie years later can have lasting repercussions for the rest of your career.

What to do if you have a low GPA: tips and advice

Keep in mind that you don't actually have to include your GPA on your resume. This is really surprising for some recent graduates. Unless the job application specifically asks for your GPA, you can leave it off. That way, you don’t have to account for why you have a low one.

Got loads of industry experience? You don't need to include your GPA if you have an adequate work history and aren't fresh out of school. That’s because your GPA doesn't say much about you as an applicant. Try to quantify your value for a job in other ways. Here are some other things you may choose to focus on: 

Education. While you may not want to specifically go into detail about your GPA, you can highlight other elements of your education. For example, you may want to delve into any special projects you completed, internships, or coursework. 

Work experience. Have you worked in the industry for a matter of years? Did you complete a relevant placement before applying for this specific role? Use the experience that you have to bolster your existing application now. 

Skills. Your skill set is the beating heart of your application. Sure, you might ot have gained a super high GPA when you were in college. But what have you done since then? Focus on the skills that you have picked up since graduating instead. 

Achievements. Are there any achievements that will make you stand out from the crowd? Have you done something out of the ordinary? If the answer is yes, this may be your USP. You can draw attention to these achievements on your next resume .

As we have covered, there are times when you should include your GPA on your resume and times when you don’t need to. The first step is deciding which category you fall into. Once you’ve done that, use our advice to help you create an interview-winning resume now. 

Looking to get ahead? At ZipJob, we have the resume writing resources that you need to get started. Choose one of our expert packages and get started now.

Recommended reading: 

How to List Education on Your Resume (+Examples)

Writing Your Work Experience: Samples & How to Guide

10 Vital Skills to Put on Your Resume & Stand Out (Expert Advice)

Ken Chase, Freelance Writer

During Ken's two decades as a freelance writer, he has covered everything from banking and fintech to business management and the entertainment industry. His true passion, however, has always been focused on helping others achieve their career goals with timely job search and interview advice or the occasional resume consultation. When he's not working, Ken can usually be found adventuring with family and friends or playing fetch with his demanding German Shepherd. Read more resume advice from Ken on  ZipJob’s blog .

Our resume services get results.

We’ve helped change over 30,000 careers.

Get a free resume review today

Our experts will review your resume’s grammar, layout, and ability to pass ATS — all free and delivered straight to your inbox.

PROTECT YOUR DATA

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our   Privacy Policy. You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• Resume and Cover Letter
• When to Include GPA on Your...

When to Include GPA on Your Resume (With Examples)

7 min read · Updated on December 07, 2023

Your GPA probably isn't a deciding factor in winning an interview or getting hired, but you'll sometimes need to include it

You already know how important a well-crafted resume is in your search for a new job. There are many things to consider – what skills you have, your career achievements, and how your background aligns with the requirements of the position you want. Another question that people often ask is, “Should I put my GPA on my resume?” In fact, there are a host of questions that people ask surrounding including GPA on their resume:

Do employers check GPA?

Should I put 2.7 GPA on my resume?

What GPA is too low for a resume?

Can I get a job with a 2.0 GPA?

Does a 3.99 GPA round up?

In the grand scheme of getting a job, your GPA isn't likely to be THE thing that secures an interview or job offer; however, there are some instances when you should include your GPA on your resume. This article is going to dive into some different scenarios and give you some examples, so that you get your GPA on your resume the right way without raising any red flags. 

Ready? Let's do this!

Your GPA is one ingredient

If you've ever baked a cake, you know that you need flour, eggs, butter, and sugar. No one ingredient is more important than the other because everything has to work together to give you a nice sponge that is worthy of that glass of milk you've been eyeballing. 

The same is true for your GPA. Sure, telling an employer that you maintained a 4.0 GPA is great, but they're also interested in how your qualifications can be used within their team and company to boost productivity, efficiency, and profits. Just saying you had a 4.0 doesn't let them know any of that, because you could've been staying at Mom and Dad's house with no other concerns in life than doing schoolwork. 

Basically, your GPA alone doesn't tell the whole story.

You must pair that GPA with experiences and accomplishments , too, even if those accomplishments are academic.

Academic achievements + GPA for recent graduates 

Everyone everywhere started as a new graduate. When you apply for an entry-level position , you may have a limited amount of experience to draw from. 

How do you prove to future employers that you have what it takes to succeed in the role they have open?

Many job seekers who are fresh out of school will turn to their GPA. Of course, including your GPA on your resume can certainly help your application to stand out from the crowd, but you should also showcase achievements you had during your time in college. 

Some examples of academic achievements include:

Being on a fundraising committee for your fraternity

Helping students in the placement office at school

Working on marketing campaigns for recruiting new students

Completing a capstone project

Acting as a Resident Assistant in the dorm

Accepting and completing an internship

From here, your GPA becomes an ingredient in the recipe of your job search. It, along with your  other achievements, can work together to tell a story – “Look, I know how to get things done!"

That seems like a lot to include in the Education section of your resume, but it's really not. In the end, when you're leveraging things you accomplished in school and your GPA, your Education section starts to look more like a Work History listing on your resume.

Here's an example of academic achievements and GPA on your resume:

Bachelor of Arts in Communications | ABC College | 2024

GPA: 3.9/4.0

Relevant coursework : Public Speaking, Intercultural Communication, Public Relations, Mass Media, Communication, and Public Decision Making

Major Capstone Project:  

Communication Campaign for XYZ Nonprofit

Applied comprehensive research to identify the target audience

Analyzed current communication strategies

Crafted new messages and a multi-channel communication plan that improved engagement

Performed A/B testing on audience perception

Affiliations and Activities:

• Semester Abroad - Immersed in French language and culture, expanding on international communication perspectives
• Tutor - Supported over 5 communications students in passing the final Mass Media exam
• President, Marketing Club - Directed marketing strategy discussions, organized workshops, and built relationships with industry partners.

Now, having your GPA on your resume is more impressive because prospective employers can see everything else you were doing in school while still maintaining a high GPA. 

Experienced professionals + GPA on resume

Once you get some professional experience under your belt, your GPA becomes less important because your experience trumps what you did in school. Some jobs will require you to include your GPA on your resume, even after you have some professional experience, but those are usually academic positions or roles that require specialized education. 

For the most part, if you're approaching five years of experience, you share your GPA only if they ask.

At this point in your career, your accomplishments and professional skills should do most of the talking on your resume. Your education section should be at the bottom and take up very minimal space. 

Here's an example of a resume Education section for an experienced professional:

Bachelor of Arts in Communications | ABC College | 2022

With that said, if you've completed any certifications or professional development courses, then you can add them. This is an example of what that would look like:

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Academic Qualifications

Certifications :

Certification #1 | Certification #2 | Certification #3

Professional Development:

Professional Development Class #1 | Professional Development Class #2 | Professional Development Class #3 

Frequently asked questions about including GPA on your resume

1. should you always include your gpa on your resume.

Not necessarily – you should only include your GPA on your resume if you're a recent graduate and it's higher than 3.5/4.0. If you have some experience under your belt, exclude it unless the job posting specifically requests it.

2. Do employers really check GPA or is it just a formality?

Most employers don't check GPAs unless the job requires that you have a specific result. Entry-level positions and roles requiring specialized knowledge may check your GPA, but those are generally the only times it'll be checked.

3. Can you round up your GPA when adding it to your resume?

Being transparent and honest on your resume is always going to serve you better than rounding up a few decimal places. Employers are less concerned about your adult report card than they are about being certain that they can trust you. Never lie about your GPA on your resume. 

4. Should I include my high school GPA on my resume if I didn't go to college?

You should never include high school on your resume at all unless you're still in high school and applying for a part-time role. If you've begun college, there's definitely no need to include high school, as it's obvious that you did well or you wouldn't be in college. Plus, keep in mind that adding high school doesn't say, “I finished high school.” Rather, it says, “I didn't go to college.”

5. What should you do if your GPA is low, but you have relevant experience?

Your experience, qualifications, and career achievements will always trump what you did in school. Because of this, once you have experience, you can – and should – exclude your GPA from your resume. 

Employers want the full package

At the end of the day, the question isn't really, “Should I include my GPA on my resume?” Instead, you should be more focused on crafting a compelling resume that is tailored to a specific job description and shows that you're the best candidate for an open position. 

Employers are more concerned about what you can do and how your skills and experiences are in line with the position they have open. It doesn't matter if you're a new graduate or an experienced professional, accomplishments win the day every time.

TopResume specializes in crafting resumes that go above and beyond to demonstrate that your skills, qualifications, and achievements match the job you want. Your career journey is unique and, whether you include your GPA on your resume or not, it needs to tell your story in a way that will impress hiring managers. Why not submit your resume for a free resume review to ensure it hits the mark?

Recommended reading:

5 Things You Must Not Include on Your Resume

How to Make a Great Resume With No Experience

What Should I Say About My Education On My Resume?

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Career Planning
• Finding a Job

When to Include a GPA on Your Resume

• When to Include a GPA
• When Not to Include a GPA
• How to List Your GPA on a Resume
• Examples of Ways to Include Your GPA

Do you need to include your high school or college grade point average (GPA) on your resume ? When can you leave it off, and when should you leave it off?

In high school and college, job seekers tend to include their GPAs on their resumes, particularly if those GPAs are strong (generally above a 3.5). However, after graduating from college, it can be difficult to know when to remove that decimal number from your resume. If you have a good GPA, it's an asset on your resume.

If not, it could hurt your candidacy. That's especially the case when employers are seeking competitive candidates who have excelled in school.

A GPA listed in the education section of your resume can either help or hurt your chance of getting an interview. Make sure you know when to include this information, and when to leave it out.

When to Include a GPA on Your Resume

There is no specific rule about whether to keep or remove your GPA from your resume after college. However, the general guideline is that, during the first year or two after university, it's fine to keep your GPA on your resume.

This is particularly true if you have a very high GPA—about a 3.5 or above.

As a recent college graduate with limited work experience, your GPA can be a key reflection of your skills, your work ethic, and your personal drive to succeed.

In some cases, an employer might specifically ask for your GPA in the job posting or application. Be sure to list it when it's required, so that your application gets full consideration.

When Not to Include a GPA on Your Resume

Once you have 2-3 years of work experience, it is time to remove your GPA from your resume. At this point in life, your work experience speaks more to your skills than your old GPA. 

Let go of your past academic success, and use that extra space on your resume to provide an example of a more recent work accomplishment. This will demonstrate to employers that you are not “resting on your laurels” after school, but that you have matured into a forward-looking professional who is now fully engaged in your career.

Also be sure to leave out your high school GPA once you have been in college for a year or two. At this point, you have a college GPA you can include instead (unless that is very low). Another time you don’t want to include your GPA is when it is not very high. In particular, leave out your GPA if it is 3.0 or below. You can leave it off your resume even while you are still a student.

Remember to follow the instructions on the job listing. If the employer asks for your GPA, include it regardless of how high or low it is.

Tips for Including (or Not Including) Your GPA on Your Resume

Put it in the education section of your resume. Your GPA should go in the education section of your resume. This section will also include where you went to school and what degrees you received. You can also mention any academic honors and awards in this section.

Consider including your GPA for your major.  If your GPA for your major is higher than your overall GPA (which is common), you can include that instead of your overall GPA. If both are high, you can include both. Just be sure to clarify which is which.

Emphasize other academic accomplishments. Include other academic accomplishments along with your GPA to show that you are a hardworking, well rounded person. For example, mention if you were on the Dean’s List, received any Latin honors (such as cum laude or magna cum laude ), or if you won any academic awards.

If your GPA was not high but you won some other awards, include those awards, but leave out your GPA.

You can put this information in a subsection of your education section, titled “Awards and Honors” or something similar.

Don’t lie. While it is okay to leave your GPA out (unless the employer asks for it), it is not okay to lie about your GPA on your resume. It is very easy for an employer to verify your GPA by looking at your transcript. If you lie, you might lose a chance of getting the job, or (if you are already hired), you risk being fired.

Examples of Ways to Include Your GPA on Your Resume

Check out these four examples of ways to include your GPA in the education section of your resume. Download the resume template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Example of a Resume with GPA Included

EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, XYZ College Major: Journalism GPA: 3.8 Magna Cum Laude 

Example of a Resume with Overall GPA and Major GPA Included

EDUCATION Bachelor of Science, XYZ College Major: Biology (3.89 Major GPA) Minor: Environmental Science 3.67 Overall GPA Magna Cum Laude

Example of Resume with Major GPA Only

EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, XYZ University Major: Journalism (Major GPA 3.8) Awards: Outstanding Major in Journalism, Senior Capstone Project Finalist

Example of Resume with No GPA

EDUCATION B.S., XYZ University Major: Exercise Science Minor: Spanish

Resume Sample (Text Version)

Richard Reporter 3453 Overlook Avenue • Seattle, WA 98109 • (123) 456-7890 • rreporter@email.com www.linkedin.com/in/richardreporter

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

Highly creative visual storyteller and photojournalist, demonstrating a powerful “nose for news” in following leads for rising stories. Well-versed in operation of video and microwave equipment, news vans, and cellular and fiber optic remotes; adept in editing and posting digital videos to websites and social media properties including Facebook and Twitter.

Technical Proficiencies : Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe Creative Cloud (Premiere Pro, Premiere Rush, Photoshop, After Effects), Sony XpriNS

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE EMERALD CITY NEWS, Seattle, WA News Photographer  (06/2017-Present) Shoot and edit news video for major metropolitan media company. Operate videotape / solid state media cameras and portable microwave equipment; edit news stories with Sony XpriNS. Create digital content and post to social media sites.  Key Achievements:

• Created compelling news videos that increased digital website traffic by 35%.
• Meticulously maintained news van and state-of-the-art photographic equipment valued at $425,000.
• Partnered with local police force, city court officials, and Chamber of Commerce to track and follow rising story leads.

EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts in Journalism; 3.89 Major GPA / 3.62 Overall GPA Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA Staff Writer / Photographer, The Gonzaga Bulletin; Senior Capstone Project Finalist

Member, National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)

• Contact Sales
• Contact Support
• Candidate Help

Resources articles

How To Tell If A Candidate Is Being Dishonest On Their Resume

Ashley Blonquist

Table of Contents

Click a chapter to scroll directly to it.

Lying On Resumes: How Many People Actually Do It?

How to tell if a candidate is dishonest on their resume, build a team you can trust with employment verifications from goodhire.

• Related Articles

Candidates lying on resumes can cost employers time and money—yet by some estimates, up to 85% of job hunters have lied on a resume. Read this article to find out how often job candidates lie, what they’re most likely to lie about, and how you can spot falsehoods on a resume. We’ll also look at what employment verifications are, and why they’re often used during the background check process.

Resumes and job applications can only reveal so much about any given candidate. As a result, it can be challenging for hiring managers and recruiters to make well-informed decisions based on those details alone, like who you should move forward with and who should be disqualified. Something that makes this even more challenging? Candidates lying on their resumes.

No matter how big or small the lie, it can be costly for employers for many reasons, including:

• The time it takes to interview and vet candidates during the hiring process
• Additional time and training required because the employee lacks the necessary skills and experience to perform their job
• Inefficiencies in their job role and responsibilities
• Time and money spent on the termination process
• Time and money spent on the re-hiring process

According to CareerBuilder, 75% of hiring managers have caught lying on a resume. However, it’s still crucial for them to be on their toes and know exactly what they should be looking for. That’s why GoodHire is sharing how often candidates lie, what they lie about, and how employment history checks can help prevent hiring dishonest candidates.

Just how many people lie on their resumes? It might be more than you think. Companies have found that anywhere from one-third to 85% of candidates lie on their resumes or during the hiring process. A ResumeLab survey asked over 1,000 Americans whether they know someone who has lied on their resume, and an astounding 93% said yes.

The most common lies on resumes? Job experience, job duties, and work skills. The same survey revealed that candidates lie or “stretch the truth” for several other reasons, like covering a gap in employment , not being qualified enough, and wanting a higher salary.

Are candidates lying about their degree on a resume? Are they lying about employment dates on a resume? Perhaps they’re lying about GPA on a resume? When it comes to more specific details that are most often lied about, candidates revealed they were dishonest about:

• Skills they have (like using Excel or speaking a foreign language)
• How long they worked in a previous job (to cover an unemployment gap or to leave out another employer altogether)
• Listing a degree they didn’t earn or lying about the university they attended

When lies are spotted by recruiters, it often leads to candidates not receiving an interview request or being disqualified from the running. In some cases, lies are revealed after someone is hired. As a result, employees face more severe consequences like being reprimanded or dismissed for lying on a resume.

Their Employment History Can’t Be Verified

One of the quickest and most efficient ways to determine if a candidate is lying about their job history is through a GoodHire employment verification. With employment verification checks , you can confirm details about a person’s current and previous job titles, start dates, and end dates. This is one of the easiest ways to spot inconsistencies on someone’s resume and can help spot any potential red flags.

For example, if employment dates don’t match and are way off, they may be concealing a gap in employment. If their job titles don’t match, they may be inflating their roles and responsibilities. As a result, they may not be qualified for the job they’re applying for or have the relevant work experience needed. When reviewing Employer Verification results, minor inconsistencies in dates or titles may occur due to issues with employer record keeping or third-party systems, so it’s important to keep this in mind and address the issue with the candidate.

Their Resume Doesn’t Match Their Job Application

Job candidates often use the same resume when applying for jobs—one that’s separate from the actual job application. That’s because many job applications will require candidates to reiterate their work experience and job history despite listing it on their resume. If a candidate doesn’t pay close attention, they may unintentionally reveal inconsistencies in their previous job experience.

To mitigate this, hiring managers should always compare a candidate’s job application to their resume and cover letter to ensure all job dates, titles, and experiences align. Again, details like start and end dates, job titles, and responsibilities should match their resume and application. If anything is drastically different or missing from any of these various formats, it could be considered a red flag.

Their Job Details & Skills Are Vague

No matter the length of the resume , type of job experience, or number of positions a candidate has held , they should be able to provide clear and detailed summaries of their roles, responsibilities, and duties. In other words: Do they talk about their experience and skills or talk around them?

For example, if a candidate uses vague or unclear phrases and words, it could be a sign they had little-to-no involvement in their listed role or roles. On the other hand, if they overuse ‘buzzwords’ or cliche phrases, it may help embellish their resume a little bit without further explaining their experience or skills.

They Don’t Pass Additional Background Checks

In addition to Employment Verification, other types of background checks can be beneficial in revealing dishonest candidates (and verifying honest ones!). Using a professional background screener can help cut down on the time you have to spend verifying a candidate’s information and can help protect your company from liability claims.

In addition to Employment Verifications, GoodHire offers several different types of background checks to help employers verify candidate information, including: 

• Education Verification : As mentioned earlier, studies show that candidates often lie about their education and/or degrees they’ve earned.
• Reference Checks : Conduct in-depth interviews with candidates’ listed references to get additional insight into their work experience and work ethic.
• Criminal Background Check : Perform county, state, national, and federal criminal checks on employees to help ensure a safe and secure work environment.

To hire qualified, trustworthy employees and best protect your company, use Employment Verifications from GoodHire. Verifications not only help to streamline the entire hiring process, but they also help to confirm that your candidate has the work experience they claim to have on their resume. With Employment Verifications, GoodHire helps you:

• Confirm previous employers listed on each candidate’s resume
• Verify candidates’ job titles and employment dates
• Remain compliant with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (and any additional federal and state fair-hiring laws applicable to your business)

Ready to make the best-informed decisions about job candidates? Verify their job history with GoodHire’s Employment Verifications.

Conduct Employment Verifications With GoodHire

The resources provided here are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. We advise you to consult your own counsel if you have legal questions related to your specific practices and compliance with applicable laws.

About the Author

Ashley Blonquist is a former news journalist. She writes about GoodHire’s employment screening services and how employers use them to make informed hiring decisions.

Keep Reading

What employers should know about job hoppers.

What’s considered a job hopper, and how should you screen them? We break down everything you need to know when it comes to screening job hoppers.

Employment Gaps: What Hiring Managers Should Look For

It’s common for candidates to have gaps in employment. In this article, we share what to look for, what to consider, and how to proceed.

What Employers Can Learn From The Length Of A Resume

How long (or short) a resume is can reveal details about candidates that may help hiring managers in the decision-making process.

How to List GPA on Your Resume

Should you put your GPA on your resume?

Is rounding up your gpa on your resume acceptable.

• Overall GPA versus Major GPA

How to correctly put your GPA on your resume

What to put on your resume instead of your gpa, key takeaways.

If you’re feeling  unsure if you should put your GPA on your resume, don’t worry! You aren’t alone. So, the first thing you need to do is to make sure that it’s even necessary  in relation to the job you’re applying for.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the more common issues surrounding the inclusion of your GPA on a resume. We’ll cover:

• Why you should or shouldn’t include your GPA on a resume.
• If rounding up your GPA is advisable.
• How to put it in your resume effectively and show you a couple of examples.
• Which is better - Cumulative GPA vs. major GPA.
• What to put on your resume instead of your GPA.

Get your resume score!

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

This is the million-dollar question. But first, you need to answer a few other questions:

• Have you recently graduated?
• Are you lacking in professional work experience?
• Is your GPA over 3.5?
• Is a GPA relevant to the position you’re applying for?

If you answered yes to all of these, then it’s likely you should include your GPA on your resume. However, if you answered no to any of them, it might be better to go ahead and leave it out.

When not to include your GPA

• Leave out your GPA if you've worked over five years, focusing instead on professional experience.
• Exclude any lower GPAs ( below 3. 5 or the employer's specified threshold). Instead, highlight skills and achievements.
• For mid to senior-level roles, GPA relevance decreases in favor of showcasing work accomplishments and capabilities.

Rounding your GPA up can be a delicate issue, and opinions can vary among employers and career advisors. Keep these points in mind:

Honesty and integrity:  Your resume should accurately reflect your qualifications and achievements. Misrepresenting your GPA, even by rounding up, can be seen by many as dishonest. Employers value integrity, and any indication that you’re not being completely honest can be a red flag.

Rounding norms:  If you do choose to round your GPA, it's generally acceptable to round to the nearest tenth (e.g., 3.56 to 3.6). However, rounding up a 3.45 to 3.5, for example, might be seen as misleading. It's important to note that there's a difference between rounding * and inflating  your GPA .

Transcripts and verification: Remember that many employers may request a copy of your transcripts for verification purposes, especially if your academic background is a key factor in the hiring process. Any discrepancies between your resume and your official transcripts can lead to questions about your honesty.

So, rounding your GPA may be a bad idea if it’s going to mislead your potential employer. Take caution and only do so to the nearest tenth.

Rounding is a legitimate mathematical practice that makes your GPA easier to read and understand, without significantly altering the information it conveys - GPA 3.58 > 3.60

Inflating is a deceptive practice aimed at creating a false impression of your academic performance. GPA 3.20 > 3.60

Overall  GPA versus Major GPA

As a student you have two different Grade Point Averages - your overall GPA and your major GPA.

• Overall GPA: Takes into consideration all the grades you have received throughout your college or university studies, across all courses. Overall GPA provides a comprehensive view of your academic abilities and work ethic.
• Major GPA: This refers to the grades you received in courses specifically related to your major area of study. Major GPA can be particularly relevant if the courses are closely related to the job or industry you're targeting.

Which One to Include on Your Resume?

• If your overall GPA is strong : Include your overall GPA if it's strong (3.5 or above) and reflects well on your overall academic performance. It's a good indicator of your work ethic and ability to perform across a range of subjects.
• If your major GPA is higher: If your major GPA is significantly higher than your overall GPA and relevant to the job you're applying for, consider including it either instead of or alongside your overall GPA.

You have a couple of options when listing them, you can:

• Include both: Include both to showcase your academic achievements fully. For example, "Overall GPA: 3.6, Major GPA: 3.8".
• Choose the best one: Choose the one that is most relevant and favorable to your job application. For instance, if applying for a technical job related to your major, your major GPA (if higher) would be more relevant.

If you have decided to include your GPA, let’s make sure to do it the right way! It’s going to go in the education section on your resume , but here are a few more things you should NOT overlook:

Where to Place Your GPA:

• Place it near your degree and the name of your institution.

How to Format Your GPA:

• Keep your resume GPA to two decimal places (e.g., 3.67). This is precise without being overly detailed.
• You may round your GPA to the nearest tenth (e.g., 3.7) for simplicity, but make sure this does not significantly misrepresent your actual performance.
• Label it clearly by writing "GPA" followed by the score, such as "GPA: 3.67."

Additional Tips:

• If your major GPA is significantly higher than your overall GPA, and it's relevant to the job, you might choose to include it as well. Clearly label it as "Major GPA" to avoid confusion.

Here’s a basic example with GPA:

*Note: For the above GPA of 3.68, it would be acceptable to round it up to 3.7.

Here’s another example. However, this time we include both the overall GPA and the major GPA:

• • Major GPA: 3.68

Use Enhancv’s Resume Builder

Use Enhancv’s Resume Builder and make a resume that stands out.

If you happen to not have an extremely strong GPA , there are still many things you can add to your resume to make yourself stand out to employers! Focusing on these aspects can illustrate your skills, experiences, and achievements that happen to be more relevant to the job you’re applying for:

• Relevant work experience
• Projects and portfolio  
• Certifications and courses
• Awards and honors
• Extracurricular activities
• Volunteer work
• Professional memberships
• Publications and presentations
• Relevant coursework

By emphasizing these elements, you can create a compelling resume that highlights your strengths and abilities beyond your GPA. Tailor your resume to each job application, focusing on the experiences and skills most relevant to the job description to make the strongest impact.

Including your GPA is a nuanced topic that depends on several things. However, it can be pretty cut and dry if you make your decision based on just a few points. Here are the main points to take away from this article::

• If your GPA is lower than 3.5, don’t even bother including it.
• Before listing it, make sure it’s even relevant to the position you’re applying for.
• In general, rounding up your GPA by more than a tenth is looked down upon as it can be construed as dishonest.
• Your overall GPA (the average grade throughout all university over all subjects) and your major GPA (the average grade of courses specifically related to your major area of study) can either be listed together or alone.
• Your GPA needs to go into your education section and be written using only two decimal places max (e.g. 3.72)
• There are tons of other things you can include on your resume that more than compensate for not listing your GPA.

• Resume Guides

How to Accept a Job Offer Professionally

Wear this, not that: our expert guide on what to wear to an interview (and some advice on what not to), how to list tutoring on resume, 5 elements every cover letter outline needs, how far back to go on your resume, what should not be included in a resume.

• Create Resume
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• Resume Examples
• Resume Templates
• AI Resume Builder
• Resume Summary Generator
• Resume Formats
• Resume Checker
• Resume Skills
• How to Write a Resume
• Modern Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Cover Letter Guides
• Job Interview Guides
• Job Interview Questions
• Career Resources
• Meet our customers
• Career resources
• English (UK)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.