Nearly Half of Gen Z Admit to Lying on Their Resumés — But Can You Really Blame Them?

Job hunting is tough, but a new survey shows that Gen Z is getting creative to land those gigs.

According to ResumeBuilder.com, 46% of Gen Z applicants (ages 18–27) admitted to stretching the truth on their job applications. From boosting skill levels to faking job titles or claiming degrees they haven’t quite finished, the résumé padding game is real — and it's sparking a debate.

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Faking It ‘Til They Make It?

Among those who confessed to fibbing:

• 80 %+ said it helped them land a job
• Around two-thirds said they’d do it again 👀

Many cited intense competition, lack of experience, and unrealistic job requirements as the main reasons for fudging the facts.

And honestly? When entry-level roles require 3–5 years of experience and three niche software platforms, it's not hard to see why some young professionals feel stuck between honesty and opportunity.

A Risky Game

While some hiring managers do run background checks, a lot of lies reportedly go unnoticed, especially in remote job processes where face-to-face interviews are rare.

But experts warn that even if résumé stretching helps in the short term, long-term risks include getting fired, damaging your professional rep, or even facing legal trouble.

Generational Gap? Yep.

The study also found that older generations are less likely to fib on job applications, which could reflect shifting workplace norms, or just a lack of TikTok confidence tricks in the pre-Internet days.

What Can Employers Do?

Instead of relying on outdated job listings that scare off good candidates, experts recommend that hiring managers focus on clear, realistic requirements — and maybe ease off on the 12-item skills list for an entry-level role.

Because if nearly half of Gen Z is faking it to get hired, maybe it’s not the candidates that need fixing — maybe it’s the system.