According to a new survey, 2026 Job Seeker Insights Report, 36% of U.S. job seekers admit they’ve lied in an interview. The findings come from a survey of 1,000 active job seekers nationwide by Resume Genius, and reveal a sharp generational gap, with Gen Z being nearly 2.5x more likely than Baby Boomers to lie during the application process.
“Younger candidates aren’t lying because they’re less ethical — they’re lying because they’re more anxious, says Eva Chan, Career Expert at Resume Genius.
“Many feel they have to compensate for limited experience however they can. Older generations were largely taught that you earn opportunities through tenure and loyalty — what you see is what you get. Gen Z, by contrast, has grown up in an era of personal branding, where crafting a compelling story is practically a life skill. The line between framing yourself favorably and embellishing the truth can get blurry fast, especially when the job market feels this unforgiving.”
Most Job Seekers Have Lied or Considered Lying
When asked whether they’ve ever been less than fully honest in a job interview, more than half of job seekers said yes. Here is the general breakdown:
- 36% admit they’ve lied in an interview
- 20% haven’t lied but have considered it
- 44% say they’ve never lied or considered lying
Gen Z Leads in Interview Dishonesty
By generation, Gen Z is more than twice as likely as Baby Boomers to have lied or exaggerated in an interview. Find the full breakdown below:
- Have lied or exaggerated in an interview: Gen Z (43%), Millennials (39%), Gen X (31%), Baby Boomers (18%)
- Have never lied or considered lying: Baby Boomers (67%), Gen X (48%), Millennials (42%), Gen Z (37%)
The Most Common Interview Lies
For job seekers who admit to lying or exaggerating in interviews, the most common topic isn’t skills or salary, it’s why they left their last job. Here is the full breakdown of what candidates lie about most:
- Reasons for leaving a previous job (46%)
- Years of experience (39%)
- Proficiency with certain skills or tools (38%)
- Responsibilities in a previous role (31%)
- Interest in the role or company (30%)
- Accomplishments or results (18%)
- Salary expectations or previous pay (13%)
- Long-term career goals (12%)
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Tags: Firm Management, interview, job marketk, job seekers, jobs, Payroll, resume, unemployment
