Question by Trying to find a job: Unemployed for 1 year, can I change dates on resume to shorten the time of unemployment?
I’ve been unemployed for a year now. During the year, I went traveling and also took some courses for certifications. That took a total of 6 months and now that I’m up to date in IT certifications. However, it has been 6 months of sending resumes and interviewing but no employment yet. Does anybody think it will be ok if I changed my end of employment date to something within 6 months ago or earlier? Will employers be able to verify the date that I left? A lot of people are telling me that being unemployed for so long will affect my employment with any company. Any help is much appreciated.
Best answer:
Answer by BoredEnoughToPostHere
No. Just briefly summarize the explanation in your cover letter in a way that shows you in the best light. Move education to the top of your resume above employment stuff because it is more recent.
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I would remain truthful on your resume, you want people to hire you for YOU, not for a lie. Plus it sounds like you have good reason that you did not work for a year, and actually a year is not that long to be without a job. Keep fighting the good fight, you will be hired!
You can but its unethical.
Also if you are caught, it would be more difficult for you to get a job.
Most companies these days want a cover letter, explain your being out of a job for this time frame in your cover letter. Explain that you spend it getting up to date in your certifications.
You might want to change the date range to just a year range is possible. Something like 2001-2006 that might help? Also, add your certifications to a training or school part of your resume, that will help explain the time gap.
I don’t really buy into the whole idea that a gap will hurt your chances, they know people are out looking, just be prepared to let them know why it is that you were without work for so long. A good job history and a short span (6 months really is short) is nothing bad, most are talking years in employment gaps.
Last babble point … it’s never good to lie on a resume, they CAN look into it and can find the exact date of hire and let go, including why you were let go etc.
Most places will call your previous employer(s) to verify the date you left the company, and if they find out you are lying you are pretty hosed. I would not volunteer any information you were not asked, but be honest. If you tell them you took some time off to take some courses that should make you look favorable in their eye.
These days any small infraction on a resume is grounds for termination. Think of all the points HR people get when they ‘find someone out’.
Why not start looking for volunteer opportunities where you can use some of your IT skills as well as build your confidence back up. Find an orhanage or a charity or something and build some tenure there, then use that as a springboard to something more lucrative.
The next time you sign an application, read the fine print. The part that says lying on the app. is reason for termination with no questions asked. And yes, they will find out.
that’s a NO NO! honesty is the best policy. tell the truth and be at peace. employers prefer honest, hardworking people than people with “glowing” credentials. God bless you.
Usually, the one thing a company will almost always verify are the dates of your employment.
You may want to rearrange the time frame of your courses so that it looks like while you have been out of work for a year, you have been consistently advancing yourself by taking courses and getting certifications….pump it up that way.
Employers rarely check the dates on such things.
You may even “add” some training/courses that a future employer is not able to verify….like when you were traveling. Not saying to lie, just rearrange things a bit and embellish your existing talents.
Good luck.
Don’t give an exact date – just the year. If you left in January of ’06 – just say ’06. That could be read as being only a month ago. If you left in December ’05 – I’d still strech it, and say ’06.
I wouldn’t change the dates just put in that you have been going to school for that year that you’d taken off and it shouldn’t be a problem, As long as you have something that you was doing in that year to justify the time off.
If you change the dates and they find out by calling your prior place of employement and most HR offices will call the prior jobs and they find out you mislead them on the application, you may not get hired due to that.
Keep on trying it sometimes takes a bit, but be honest and keep on going a good job will eventually come along.
No. It will follow you if you lie and will come back to hurt you. Know the truth and the truth will set you free. Just put exactly what you have done since you were last employed. Stress the certifications. Where did you travel? What did you experience? And be prepared to discuss it in an interview. Do not mess up the rest of your life by telling a lie. Time off not working is looked at and if there are two equally qualified people and one has worked straight through and another has been off, it may make a difference in who is hired. It may not. But there is no time that telling a lie is better than the truth.