'Everyone does it and I'm putting myself at a disadvantage by being honest': HR tells former employee to embellish their resume

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Aug 20, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Looking for a job is not an easy task. Anyone who's ever tried to find a job has had to figure this out. It can leave you demoralized and exhausted. Having to sell yourself all the time can take a toll on your self-esteem. Facing constant rejection can make you feel like the right job will never come. There are so many people looking for jobs, and only so many jobs to go around. In a world where anyone can submit their résumé online, recruiters are overwhelmed by applications. It can be difficult to make yourself stand out among the crowd. 

This is why some people turn to alternatives. Maybe they try to leverage their network so they can find a friend of a friend to flag their application. Maybe they take some extra classes to gain some extra skills to slap on their CV. Or... maybe they embellish a little bit. Of course, honesty is always the best policy. But when you're trying to make yourself stand out in a competitive job market, knowing how to spin your skills is an essential task. 

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  • A woman holds a resume with the name "Lauren Chen"
    via Resume Genius

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • But where is the line between lying and embellishing? How much should you exaggerate, and how much should you own up to your current ability? These are the questions that came up in this discussion where an HR manager tried to give a tip to a soon-to-be former employe. Read on to see what they said, and to see what commenters wrote in response.

  • Just got told I should lie on my resume. From the Director of HR.

    Had my exit interview yesterday and our HR Director actually told me I should "embellish" my accomplishments on my resume for future jobs. Said everyone does it and I'm putting myself at a disadvantage by being honest.
    via u/JerichoMaxim
  • Kind_Drawing8349 • 2d ago It's not really lying. It's like the way the Big Mac looks in the ad. Sort of an idealized version. Dont say "cleaned the bathroom" Say "Excelled at providing an outstanding customer experience through diligent attention to facility sanitation and appearance."
    via u/JerichoMaxim
  • See? It's not untrue, so it's not lying. And which candidate would you hire?
    via u/JerichoMaxim

  • Commenters agreed that this was party necessary.

    JerichoMaxim OP.2d ago example is perfect lol... same work, just sounds way more professional. Thanks for putting it in perspective
    via u/JerichoMaxim
  • WokeUpVinyl • 2d ago And what's the issue? HR people know how to play the game, they invented it
    via u/WokeUpVinyl
  • JerichoMaxim OP.2d ago Just caught me off guard hearing it said out loud so bluntly. Guess I've been playing on hard mode this whole time lol
    via u/JerichoMaxim
  • Collective_Will • 2d ago . You really should embellish everything on your resume. They are correct. Just one of many reasons the job market is the way it is. Its all bs and anyone expecting you to be honest is delusional about how hopeless the current situation is. Don't be the good
    via u/Collective_Will
  • guy, don't try to fix anything, don't try to be the change from within or be a "good" example. Fake it til you make it, then continue faking it. Never own up to anything and always deny, deflect, and disengage. Nothing is going to change for the better.
    via u/Collective_Will
  • Don't know how old you are but trust nobody, not even your family. Seems like you're a good person so im just helping you understand that anyone else who notices this will take advantage of you. Well, 99.9% of them will. The remaining of us want to fight the good fight with you but keep getting punished for it. I wouldn't blame you for being disgusted by what I say but you'll find out in your own time.
    via u/Collective_Will
  • TopStockJock • 2d ago . Recruiter here. Half my resume is bulls.
    via u/TopStockJock
  • A group of employees look over a resume.
    via sarah b

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Not_Neville 2d ago HR actually helping an employee?!!
    via u/Not_Neville
  • stayoffmygrass • 2d ago Well - get to it! It's a lot more common than you think. And remember - companies lie out their so don't feel bad at playing their own game.
    via u/Not_Neville
  • FigT... 2d ago Edited 2d ago Embellish means fancy them up. If you supervised your team for a day or or two then you have "managed a group. of 20" etc. Don't put anything you can't back up "liased in french" for example, if you don't remotely speak an extra language. We aren't professionals and I told my sister "stop listing anything. less than a C on your gcse bit. They won't check.
    via u/FigTechnical8043
  • Jay_JWLH. 1d ago As someone who is fairly humble, this can be difficult to do. It's a game of being able to sell yourself without lying. Because when you start outright lying, you get caught out eventually.
    via u/Jay_JWLH
  • Scareynerd 1d ago Yeah I'm an HR Manager and I tell people this. Someone in your team had a good idea? No no, you had a good idea.
    via u/Scareynerd
  • bmcs87.1d ago I tell young workers to follow Denzel's lead from Training Day - 'it's not what you know, it's what you can prove.' So don't put something verifiable on the resume but it's fine to exaggerate since everyone does it.
    via u/bmcs87
  • Krunzuku ⚫ 1d ago I worked as a bank teller right out of college. I put on my resume "Money Manager" and when asked about it I told people that I was the one who picked out what kind of savings accounts people. needed to have based off income. all part of the job but sounds way better.
    via u/Krunzuku
  • Ediwir 2d ago • Job interviews are sales pitches. Resumes are fliers. Sell me your work.
    via u/Ediwir
  • _Chaos_Star_ · 1d ago An HR Director at a place you are leaving? Be cautious. I'll give you an example as to what could go wrong: You embellish on what you did at the place you are leaving. A place that is interested calls up and ask about your role, and they say no, you did no such thing there. Your
    via u/_Chaos_Star_
  • application is binned. You spend six months applying for roles and getting strangely rejected each time, before it finally clicks. Unless there is good reason to trust them, don't go with that advice.
    via u/_Chaos_Star_
  • molsonmuscle360 1d ago Hey, who is there to say that you weren't the regional manager for Blockbuster in Iowa in 1997
    via u/molsonmuscle360
  • Mr_Poodoo • 19h ago HR will use Al to create job listings. You'll use Al to tailor your resume to those job listings. HR will use Al to filter out any resumes that don't contain certain buzzwords. They'll then use Al to select the best candidates for an
    via u/Mr_Poodoo
  • interview. Al will generate your interview questions and HR will use Al to analyze your answers. It's very depressing; especially when you see HR on LinkedIn saying crop like "WE KNOW WHEN yOu uSe Al to build yOUR RESUME."
    via u/Mr_Poodoo
  • AshtonBlack • 19h ago Putting corpo speak "spin" on resume, with attention to keywords and the "best interpretation" of anything. you've done. It's only has to be true in a very loose sense. As long as it's not a flat-out lie, that can be verified, you're golden.
    via u/AshtonBlack
  • badgerj • 2d ago Ask her if she'll be willing to be a positive reference for you in upcoming interviews and send them a completely obviously embellished resume. Put stuff in, like paid for team lunches.
    via u/badgerj
  • Picked up the CEOs dry cleaning and had his shoes shined. Ensured the whole HR and executive staff got a catered lunch bi-weekly.
    via u/badgerj
  • SomeSamples • 2d ago I have the opposite problem. I put together a resume and folks don't believe the stuff I have on it.
    via u/SomeSamples

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