Moral and ethical concerns aside, workplace experts agree that lying on a resume or cover letter is always a bad idea, especially because it’s so easy for employers to uncover the truth.

Apart from the easy access to information that Google alone will provide, many companies have become much more proactive about conducting formal background checks, even enlisting the help of burgeoning software programs that determine the level of common ground between what job candidates say about themselves and what their former employers/references have to say about them.

“In today’s information age of social networks and other technology advancements, it’s much easier for companies and prospective employers to do due diligence on candidates,” says Jordan Rayboy, president and CEO of Rayboy Insider Search. “Being less than truthful on a resume is more likely than ever to come out.”

Read more: https://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/jobs/chi-resume-qualifications-20111119,0,2023743.story