For job seekers, necessity can be the mother of reinvention. But turning a résumé into a work of fiction poses real risks. Some tips:
Employment dates: Tell the truth. This is the one bit of information that human resources departments from past companies can share.
Reasons for leaving a company: "Saying you were laid off is so easy to do in this economy" that it might set off an alarm, said Ceridian HR vice president Jeff Fix, adding, "We'll find out if your last employer is suing you for stealing."
Job title: "If you worked for a tiny company and they gave you a big -... title, something with 'chief' or 'officer' in it," a new company might think you're overqualified, said executive recruiter Mark Jaffe. His advice: "Clarify with an explanation that the company had six employees or was a startup."
Compensation: Listing this might not help. In fact, said Fix, "someone might think they can exploit that, maybe try to get this person for 40 percent of what they're worth, think 'I have them on their knees.'"
In general: "Networking is the best way to get in front of decisionmakers and show initiative," Fix said.
BILL WARD
