The Responsibility Project^®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Dumbing Down Your Degree

117 Comments

June 30, 2009 by Kathy McManus

The recession continues to lower expectations and raise questions, including this one: Is it acceptable to doctor your resume in order to get a job?

Resume inflation—with its over-written under-achievements—has long set the workplace standard for autobiographical unacceptability.

But is resume deflation just as irresponsible?

Employment agencies and job recruiters are reacting to the growing numbers of unemployed workers they see dumbing down their experience and credentials in an effort to land a job for which they are over-qualified. Their deflationary techniques include “hiding advanced degrees, changing too-lofty titles, shortening work experience descriptions, and removing awards and accolades” from their resumes.

The new bio-degradable biography isn’t sitting well with some employers. “I’d never feel comfortable putting a really high-level candidate into a lower level position,” says an employment agency recruiter who now sees doctoral degrees listed at the bottom of resumes instead of at the traditional top. “How do I know I can trust them later down the road,” she asks, “if there’s something on their resume they decided to take off so they could have a better chance getting that job?”

For over-qualified job seekers, “scaling back the truth—or at the least, some of their experiences—can feel like the only chance at an interview.” The new semantics include downgrading titles like “manager” to “staff” and “office support.”

Job seekers are frustrated and confused by which face to show the new workplace. One under-employed, over-experienced, executive-level resume-sender deleted details of her speaking engagements and board positions. Another complained that when she minimized her experience on paper, a potential employer called her references, only to find out she was over-qualified.

Yet another laid-off worker with years of executive experience sent out thousands of accurate resumes, only to receive zero job offers. “But I can’t dumb down my resume,” he says, “because that would be lying.”

Tell us what you think: Is dumbing down a resume unethical? Should survival trump responsibility, and if so, where do you draw the line? Is it more responsible to state your true experience, or to land a paycheck?

117 Comments

What do you think? Leave a comment

• July 1, 2009 by Nick McEntire

  In my experience, I have been turned down for a job because I was over qualified, and for being under qualified, and yet again because I was 'under qualified' but had better credentials than everyone else who applied. When businesses are shady, and have complete immunity by the government to operate however they see fit (no laws governing how they should treat their employees unless it falls into gender, ethnicity, etc.), then employees -current and potential- have the same freedom to do as they see fit to secure a job. Just because someone has been an executive making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and drives the latest model sports car, does not mean that they would be a bad hire at, say, a restaurant. They may have enough money in the bank, that they just need something to stem the drain on the account enough to let them continue living a comfortable lifestyle. Or they may be desperate enough for a job that they're willing to start back at square one. I have 3 years of management experience in retail and food sales, as well as a year of outside sales experience, but I PREFER to start near the bottom. If the company and I don't fit, then it's not a big loss to the company if we part ways...yet if we ARE a good fit, then sooner or later my skills will be recognized and I will be offered another position, simple as that. In short...don't judge someone based off of prior work history. You may think they are under/over qualified, but in reality, they may end up being the best employee you ever have, will stick with the company through thick and thin, and bring you more prosper than you ever dreamed of. Especially if THEY initiated it.

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  • December 5, 2009 by alexandriaalliemaerumpel

    and we are looking a job and is for me and so i need a full time job and so i am looking for and a job too and have you and have more hours and for me work too? and here is my phone number and would you call me and on telephone too? 7156844121 and my e mail address number is allierumpyahoo.com lucky17 and may sure have this too?

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  • February 23, 2010 by Karen Stevens

    I loved uour comment. I am surrently unemployed. I was a computer operator with over 15 years experience with the SC department of corrections. I am also a US NAVAL Veteran with 10 yrs.,10 mths.,and 21 days service. I was honorabky discharged. I can not even get an interview with a company as easy to work for as Wal-Mart due to being overqualifed and under experienced, That came from a manager in person while I was talking to him. How hard is it to scan a price of a computerized cashregister bar? A little crazy right? if anyone can help me freely connect to a job recuiter that could for free or extremely low cost help me bpost my resume properly and get more offers for at least a few interviews. If given at least 3 interviews I get hired, I know that sounds like I am too proud of myself but I I have not ever lost a job on the 3rd interview. Thank you for just allowing me to voice my oppion.

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  • August 2, 2010 by WGV

    I can see one reason why the two persons who have replied to this post have a hard time getting an employer to take their resumes seriously. It is their poor use of English. The first one's reply screams, "ESL!" It is hard enough for me to read that it is not hard to imagine an HR manager giving up after the first line. The second is poor grammar, spelling and word usage. My advice to both of these seekers is to have someone proofread their resumes and, if needed, edit or re-write them.

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• July 1, 2009 by Henry Narve

  Excuse me but with all the near criminal activity by Wall Street Bankers who are getting Bonus after Bonus after Bonus while the WORLD Economy goes down the toilet, employers have the GUTS to request resumes that don't have "little white lies" in them. People need to feed families! People need to pay bills (mostly to those on Wall Street)! This is about REAL PEOPLE with REAL NEEDS, not about having a 3rd or 4th vacation house in Dubai! GET REAL!!!!

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  • November 30, 2009 by Bob Endeymion

    If your under 40 most managers won't hire someone that could do his/her job. If you "over(50)qualified" then its age discrimination by a different name. A lot more boomers are going to just give up, take early retirement and let the younger workforce fund our social security. If you won't let us work, then you can pay us to play.

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• July 2, 2009 by Kevin Walsh

  Unfortunately, most companies do in fact judge someone based off of prior work history by being under/over qualified even though in reality they could have ended up being the best employe the company has ever had. Take it from me who had worked for nearly three years for a company only to be laid off so that they could save money on my salary and health benefits. I was even better than most of the PE's and Architects who would make mistakes on their reports. Go figure.

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• July 2, 2009 by Michael B

  Dishonesty is unacceptable, but people need to pay bills. What's the alternative when you can't get a high-level job for which you are qualified? The employers in this article seem to think that it is reasonable to expect high-level workers to either make six figures or starve to death--nothing in between. That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. I will never lie or be dishonest on my resume. However, I do think that employers like the ones in this article should seriously GET REAL. If someone dumbs down his/her resume, it is because he/she DESPERATELY NEEDS A FREAKIN' JOB! Getting coldly rejected by a myopic potential employer for applying down is why these people are doctoring their resumes. The unacceptable practice of dumbing down resumes is a function of desperation, and it will unfortunately continue as long as hiring practices are what they are. I'd like to see the hiring manager of this article be temporarily thrown into the situation of the candidates he criticizes and find out how much of a hypocrite he almost certainly is (not with regard to doctoring resumes, but with regard to desperation in the dilemma of being "overqualified" for the only jobs that are available).

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  • April 20, 2010 by stacy

    Thank you!!! However, I gotta say because I am over qualified in my field and have been honest on my resume I have lost my house to foreclosure, am on food stamps and am in peril of living on he streets with my son!!!

    I AM GONNA PLAY DOWN WHAT EVER I HAVE TO TO GET EMPLOYED AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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• July 11, 2009 by e hart

  Many years ago, when the economy was fire poker hot, I walked into a retail clothing store and was shocked when the woman checking me out didn't speak a word of English. The job market was so tight for employers, this was their only option to keep the counter running. Fast forward to today. The job market is tight, but in the opposite direction. I walked into a retail store the other day and it was quite obvious to me the guy helping me was way over qualified for the position. Probably the result of the white collar lay-offs that are running through our area right now. I've noticed this change in several retail outlets and what great customer service I've received lately. I'm a non-profit employee and I've been notified there might be a lay-off in our department. I have a masters degree and years of experience in crisis management, but hey, if it's me that gets laid-off YOU bet I'm going to down play my degrees and get any job I can find...I need the benefits.

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• July 13, 2009 by Dave

  A resume is a marketing tool that is used for the sole purpose of getting interviews. It should be truthful, and ideally it should only contain information about your skills, experience, and accomplishments that are relevant to the position that you are applying for, i.e. a targeted resume. On the other hand, the employer's job description is their marketing tool intended to solicit quality employees. Have you ever seen a job ad that provides any negative or irrelevant detail about the company or the position?

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• July 14, 2009 by Scorpiobaby

  Apparently you're writing about life in a perfect world; one that we do not live in. I agree with all of the other authors of the other postings. People do have bills to pay, families to feed (maybe themselves too) school loans to pay etc. Just the business of everyday living expenses costs; no matter how tight of a budget one has. I'm presently unemployed and sick; not a pretty combination. Strep pneumonia left me on my back looking up at the rest of the world - lost. Before I got sick, I was searching for a job. I rarely, if ever, received a response except for commission only positions. It is quite depressing to say the least. Once upon a time I had medical/dental insurance, my own place, and money saved. Now my nest is depleted and I lost my apartment. I had to help my son find a place to stay on state aid (w/a Masters Degree) and I am living with my retired father (thank God for miracles) while trying to navigate the state and Social Security paperwork. When my lungs are well enough for me to go back to work, I will do whatever I need to support myself. Getting hired depends on what side of the bed that the HR manager got up on; not necessarily your qualifications. Management is full of morons that got lucky and learned the ropes. The companies hiring lie. What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander. Don't need anything - just don't get sick and old!

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  • March 20, 2010 by Ginger

    I took time off from a management position to raise my babies. Now due to my husband's paycuts, I am trying to get back into the workplace. When I have been contacted for interviews I have been told that I'm overqualified for the positions I'm seeking. I never thought about "dumbing down" my resume... but it may be the only option. I too have had mostly commission only offers and need to make enough to cover summer-time daycare. I do not see it as lying. As others have said - we need to feed our families and put a roof over their heads.

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  • April 5, 2010 by Paula Parker

    I feel your pain because I am almost in the same boat as you. I am getting unemployment but I do not have many weeks left and I have no medical insurance. I hope everything works out for you and I am going to share my story with you below. I am from Shelby County, Tennessee and I have worked since I was 15 yrs. old. I went to college to be an accountant and only attended for one year. I started working for an attorney and realized that law was my passion and actually fell in love with it kinda obsessed I guess. A year later I got married and went back to school but didn't complete a degree but my areas of study were accounting, real estate law and income tax preparation and keep in mind this was back in the late 80's, My boss then sent me to another technical school to get my Paralegal Certification. I had never been in a law office and learned everything on my own so I worked for different attorneys over the next 18 years. My 2 daughters were very young at the time and I realized I was putting my job before my family I worked all the time. I decided to take a break from law and went to work for a very well known bank in Tennessee working in the credit operations division inspecting loans in 2004 and I had never worked in a bank before and learned everything on my own. At the time I started we were so busy that since I was a single mom I worked all the over-time I could get to make more money but my daughters were older and my parents were able to take care of them until I got home. Then when the economy went downhill FAST we had no loans to inspect so I lost my job along with many other employees in Feb. 2009. During these years I went back to college in the fall of 2008 to get my degree in Criminal Justice. I have my profile and resume on so many job websites and I've gotten to where I can't sleep so I googled all the law firms in Memphis and sent my resume with a cover letter. I have done so much research being unemployed this past year I have no idea how many websites my profile and resume are on. I keep a folder in my email account and I keep a record of every job I apply for whether it was faxing my resume, mailing it, taking it to a business or emailing it and I have applied for 350 jobs in a year and I have only had 2 interviews. I am a single mom and I am very intelligent, fast learner, can type 90 wpm, managed a law firm for 9 years and every time I apply for a job I receive an email back that I do not meet their qualifications. I do not understand how I could not meet their qualifications with all my experience and I have been to 4 different colleges but NO DEGREE yet. I am still attending college to get my associates degree at the age of 45. My ex-husband who owes me $30,000 in back child support decides to stop paying child support in January of this year and I am in a state of panic about when my unemployment is going to run out because when I call in it told me I had 2 weeks left but the office where I filed my claim told me I had more than that because they set up a new claim. I have never been unemployed and have never seen the mess we are in with no jobs and so many people are unemployed so how are we supposed to live???????????? I have a mortgage and other bills and 2 daughters to support on my own and now no child support coming in. Since I lost my job I have become so stressed out that I hardly leave the house unless it's necessary and I have lost 50 lbs. When I am stressed I do not eat. So every time I don't understand something I email my governor ALOT. This unemployement is so confusing being broken down into so many tiers that I have to read the Dept. of Labor website every day to stay on top of it to know what's going on. There are NO jobs where I live and I have no idea what is going to happen to me and my 2 daughters. It's very hard hiding this from you children so they don't worry because one day my youngest daughter asked me if we were poor. I told her no because I pay my bills every month on time first and then I make sure my 2 daughters get what they need or want. My oldest daughter is in college and works so she pays for most of her stuff and she helps me as well. Something has to be done and fast about our economy because to be honest I am about to go crazy not being able to find a job. I would much rather be working than sitting in this house. I feel like I have almost become a hermit. I was able to talk to my pastor after the Easter service and I tried not to cry but I just let it out and so we prayed together. My pastor told me to write him a letter and tell him everything that has happened to me so he can know more about what's going on in my life because where I go to church it is so big they have so many associate pastors. Then I started dating this guy in 2005 and we got married in June 2008 and I find out in August of 2009 he had been cheating on me 5 months after we got married. So now I have to file for the divorce because my husband won't do it but I told him he will pay for it since he does not work and gets a disability check and lives with his mom and he's 49 yrs. old and only has a car note and insurance to pay. He is telling me he doesn't have the money so I told him I didn't care how he got the money but I better have it Monday for my lawyer. At church I get my wallet out look at my driver's license and realized they had expired because my birthday was April 3rd and I never got a notice in the mail. I don't look at my driver's license every day to see when they are going to expire right now finding a job is the most important thing on my list. I honestly don't think I can handle much more because this past year has been the worst year of my entire life and I know it could be worse but I am not a strong person. I can't deal with much more and sometimes I feel like I am going crazy but not literally I have so much on my mind. I have even applied for so many jobs that I am overqualified for and still I have only had 2 interviews. I just don't know what's going on or understand why someone with my experience can't find a job. If anybody has any suggestions please give them to me. Thank you, Paula

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    • April 22, 2010 by Sue

      How about that hope and change!

    • April 30, 2010 by Debbie

      I feel real bad for your story! Here is my advice: 1) Stay away from men 2) Do not focus on a divorce now, it makes no difference when you get it unless you are trying to remarry and if you follow rule #1 that wont happen. 3) Go to your local govt office find out about WIC (women and children) and food stamps and state health care, there are a zillion programs to help single moms. Take full advantage of them, you have worked all your life, you are one of the people it was designed for, unlike some other people who live constantly on it. 4) Go to your state unemployment department to search for jobs. 5) Tweak your resumes and cover letters every week. 6) Join a job seekers network, it gets you out and no cost and you meet others in the same boat and dont feel so alone. 7) Learn how to network with ANYBODY you come in contact with, ask ask ask. 8) Be willing to take a crap job for a while, I am at that point now two after a couple years of no jobs, no unemployment even. Even with my degree and years of experience I am approaching working at Ihop, Dennys or a cafeteria where you cant make tips. 9) Babysit, you are a mom, go out and post flyers for babysitting services and Nanny services will hire an experienced Mom and they pay 10.00 an hour. 10) Keep getting up every day and put one foot in front of the other and be productive, read, volunteer and laugh with your kids, this is their childhood. STAY AWAY FROM MEN, FORGET ABOUT SCHOOL FOR A WHILE AND PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    • July 29, 2010 by Elizabeth

      I am so sorry about what happened to you. Although I don't know you, I think you're underestimating yourself when you say you're not a strong person. Good luck finding a job and I'll be praying for you

• July 15, 2009 by Abbey Rhodes

  I have always considered a resume to be a marketing tool with the focus showing an employer why I am the right candidate for the role. I do rewrite my resume to expand on actual experience that is described in a job advertisement. Recently, I have left off my CPA and MBA credentials for mid management positions. Bottom line: I need a job know I will work my way up in an organization, if I am given the opportunity. Until then, taller? I can be taller too.

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• July 16, 2009 by frank juliano

  It has nothing to do with ethics; it's survival - plain and simple. A lot of the highly educated did not or chose not to see this recession coming. Why? So those of us that are average joe’s pay for their mistakes. Don’t get me going.

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• July 21, 2009 by Ray

  After 18 yrs. and lots of schooling to stay on top of the floor covering industry i found myself with no work in July of 08. I got out the old resume and started applying at any job i found or heard was hiring, and for the last year, (yep,1 yr this month) I have been told I am overqualified for any job I have applied. I sent out an actual count of 372 resumes and have filled out over 500 application. I have joined every job site I can find and have posted my resumes on Monster,jobs AL Birmingham jobs, etc. I was contacted by "employers" from Monster.com that actually wanted me to pay them for a job so i can work. I have not been contacted by ant of the employers listed on these job finding sites that actually have work. So using sites like these is a waste of time. So all in all, telling the truth on my resume and any applications hasn't worked for any jobs. I have been turned down as overqualified for the last year at every job i have applied for whether it is from my previous salary, experience or my schooling. So here I sit a yearr later still looking for work in any field I can find it in and doing whatever I have to do to pay my bills. I have killed $27,000.00 savings, and looks like I may have to sell my house if things don't pick up (and yes, I did the smart thing, I chose no payments when I bought my house as the first option). The problem people have is that they want to finance everything even if they have the money to buy it outright and now it has caught up with them and the tears have started rolling now that they cant make the payments. I actually know an accountant that is working at a car wash right now, and a business owner that works for Taco Bell.Too bad I didn't change jobs before the depression (that's right, I didn't say recession, it has gotten way, way passed that). I think the world as we know it is about to change for everyone. And then you have businesses raising rates to make up for the lack of money coming in from the people that are not able to pay their bills.Charter cable was the first to raise rates here and then they were followed by the insurance companies and so on and so on. So all of the billions that we gave to big business didn't create thousands of jobs? Of course not! It gave big businesses the money they needed to pay of their outstanding debts and to pay their over compensated desk jockeys that wouldn't know what real work is if, it slapped them. But then again, government is another "Big Business" in this country, and Business looks out for Big Business.

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• July 29, 2009 by William Young

  I think corporate business in general discriminates against workers over 40 in general. I listed all of my accomplishments and several recruiters, potential employers stated "what happened"? I have worked hard all of my life and received excellent performance reviews. The bottom line is the economy imploded which I had no control over the events. I have not lied but scaled down portions of my resume to get in the door. Companies want cheap workers right now, I think we will should hold our ground and know that the employment market will change. I cut back a lot on expense and am surviving, I feel the tough times will keep me focused going forward. It stinks but that is reality. I am working on industry educational designations and upgrading my computer skills. I will be ready and prepared when the economy turns. Best of luck to all of you.

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• August 1, 2009 by Renee Thompson

  I have sent out so many resumes, I have also gone back to school. I still can not receive a job? I think it is not right to that Human Resources all over NYC will look at your resume and think you are over qualified so they just trash it.

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