Made a Slight Lie on My Resume, How Verifiable is It on Background Check

My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: California

So I’m negotiating a contract position right now with a company. I’m going through a recruiting agency. The recruiter’s company has asked me to fill out a job application which includes employment history. I made a lie on my employment history that I last worked in an engineering position in 2009 when actually it was late 2008 (I just wrote 2007-2009 for employment rather than months). I’m trying to get back into engineering and that’s why I made the lie on the resume. I understand that I shouldn't lie but that's not the point of this thread!

So my question is, when I fill out this application, should I include the lie or just tell the truth? But then the recruiter will see that I put 2008 on the application but on the resume I put 2009. Any advice would be appreciated!

I would always recommend telling the truth. Explaining that the resume the recruiter has is in error and is correctly stated on the application is a whole lot better than if I checked up on you and found you did not work for the company you did at the times specified.

You'd be bounced out in a heartbeat without even a wit of second thought on my part.

Thanks for the quick response. But for sure those employment dates are verifiable? I will most likely mention it to the recruiter that there is an error in my application.

Something else to keep in mind is that if you are ever in litigation with your employer they will flyspeck your application materials for lies, and use any they find as a basis to argue that you aren't entitled to any damages for lost wages because you should not have obtained the job in the first place.

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But for sure those employment dates are verifiable?

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What makes you think they wouldn't be? All they have to do is call that employer and ask for verification of employment dates.

Thanks for the response LawResearcherMissy, but the company has shut down!! I also have a very good friend (if need be) who can just tell them I worked there for the length of period I put on the resume.

Also, thank you for the response Mr. Knowitall. I appreciate your input.

If you want somebody to estimate the chances of your getting away with lying, that's not what we do here.

Well I was just responding to LawResearchMissy that someone cannot call the company anymore because it shut down. I guess what I'm asking is, how can they verify my employment dates. I'll will most likely come clean to my recruiter however. Thank you for your response!

We cannot tell you how any particular company will investigate an applicant's résumé. Some are a lot more thorough than others.

(I dial the phone of your employer).
RECEPTIONIST: MegaEngineering, how may I direct your call.
ME: Human Resources
RECEPTIONIST: One moment.
HR: Human Resources, Jane Johnson.
ME: Hello, Ms. Johnson. I'm Ray Rowan from SuperTech. Could you please verify the employment dates for a Mr. Kenny Alpha.
HR: Let me check...we have him employed from Jan 3, 2012 to June 31, 2012.
ME: Anything adverse in his personnel file?
HR: No, all I have is that he resigned the position.
ME: Thank you.


Of course that was better than the call I got from an employer for an employee that quit moments before I was going to fire him:

ME: Ray Rowan
HR: Mr. Rowan, My name is Mary Morgan, HR for SuperTech. Mr. Don Lee gave you as a reference.
ME: (sarcastically) Oh, he did, did he?
HR: I take it you weren't aware of that.
ME: No.
HR: Would you like to give him a reference?
ME: It would probably be better for him if I didn't.
HR: OK, I understand. Have a nice day.

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Well I was just responding to LawResearchMissy that someone cannot call the company anymore because it shut down. I guess what I'm asking is, how can they verify my employment dates.

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That the company is now shut down is largely irrelevant. Unless the company had no public presence, it's not too hard to look up the principle personnel and seek verification of your employment.

You'd be a fool to continue the lie. Tell the recruiter you screwed up, fix it, and get on with it, instead of trying to be a weasel.