It is not uncommon for people to lie on a resume, including exaggerating language skills and experience. However, the public is now lying about hobbies, a new study revealed.
The language learning app Babbel conducted a study of over 1,000 people and found 14% admitted to lying on their resume about hobbies and interests they do not actually have. The company did the same study in the United Kingdom and found 13% of the 1,000 applicants lied about their hobbies and interests, according to the U.K. outlet Metro. The study was published in January.
Of those surveyed, it also revealed men were more likely to exaggerate or lie on their resumes than women. Victoria McLean, the founder and CEO of City CV, said men were more likely to apply if they met some of the requirements.
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“If a woman doesn’t hit all the criteria, instead of lying she will most probably not apply for it,” McLean told Metro. “Generally, men are more likely to wing it.”
The most common hobbies lied about in the United States were related to volunteer or charity work, staying fit, and yoga or meditation. The most common interests included photography, painting, and playing an instrument, business magazine Inc reported.
McLean said employers will often run background checks and research an applicant through their social media posts, which could reveal a lot. Another way employers could spot a fake is through reference checks.
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The most common lie in both countries was related to proficiency in foreign languages. One in 8 of those studied reported that they exaggerated or lied about their fluency in a foreign language.
Esteban Touma, a teacher for Babbel, told Inc that employers who feel unsure of the language proficiency of an applicant should set up an interview because, in interviews, “it becomes quite clear if someone is fluent or not.”
