Would you consider it lying if

[Sheree Bobbins]

a person who has an M.A. didn't mention it on her resume so she could get jobs more easily?

 

[Dentam]

lying by omission, yes

 

[Handbag Lady]

No, not at all. Leaving off info isn't lying. Putting something in there that they don't have...that's lying.

 

[Dentam]

has an MA held you back in a job search?

 

[sonnyjane]

No, not at all. Leaving off info isn't lying. Putting something in there that they don't have...that's lying.

While not technically "lying", I would still include all of your education. It would be awkward if you took it off to get a job, got hired, found out that you could make more money at that position if you had an M.A., and then had to explain that you really did have one but didn't mention it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Does the job mandate ALL education be disclosed?

Been a while, but I have always been coached to make resumes specific to the job I am seeking. The only time I ever included "everything" was when my resume wasn't quite a page.

Now, if it is for a background check and required but omitted, that would be a problem.

And since employers sometimes discriminate against those who are over qualified, I could see it justified to leave off those over qualifications or otherwise irrelevant experiences.

 

[JanaDee]

a person who has an M.A. didn't mention it on her resume so she could get jobs more easily?

No.

 

[Skywalker]

Been a while, but I have always been coached to make resumes specific to the job I am seeking.

Yeah, I was told the same. You don't have to include everything you have ever done in your life, you can tailor your resume to what is relevant to the position. If some credential is irrelevant to what you are applying for then its okay if you don't list it.

 

[WDWBarb]

I don't consider it lying. There are many people overlooked for positions because they are considered over-educated. If someone wants to put in for a job it really doesn't seem fair that they don't stand a chance because they are over-qualified.

 

[sam_gordon]

No, I don't consider it lying to not include that on a resume.

HOWEVER, anyone hiring you might have you fill out an actual application. That application may have a spot for education. Intentionally leaving it off the application (depending on how the wording is phrased) IS lying (IMO), AND could come back to bite you later.

 

[smadath]

Just make sure the jobs you are listing don't require an MA as a qualification, or they're going to think that your lying about the position, rather than your education.

 

[ronandannette]

I don't consider it lying. There are many people overlooked for positions because they are considered over-educated. If someone wants to put in for a job it really doesn't seem fair that they don't stand a chance because they are over-qualified.

Unfair or not, it's reality. I'd screen that out in a minute, and the jobs I hire for are very well paying, senior-level non-management positions. I can't think of a single Master's degree major that would be a legitimate asset to the job and I would not be willing to invest in a candidate that I would reasonably expect to keep looking for a position in their chosen field. Leave the MA off if you are applying for jobs that are completely unrelated.

 

[WDWBarb]

No, I don't consider it lying to not include that on a resume.

HOWEVER, anyone hiring you might have you fill out an actual application. That application may have a spot for education. Intentionally leaving it off the application (depending on how the wording is phrased) IS lying (IMO), AND could come back to bite you later.

I agree with this 100%. An application asks for all education and it would need to be included. Omitting on an application I would consider lying.

 

[tvguy]

I guess it depends on how the application is worded. However, I just looked at online job applications and none of the 3 I looked at asked what degree you had, just what school you attended and when.
I know when the economy tanked, my boss was frustrated by how many people with MA and PhD degrees were applying for work. None of those degrees was even remotely related to our industry and they had zero experience in our field.. But they were desperate to work.

 

[tvguy]

Unfair or not, it's reality. I'd screen that out in a minute, and the jobs I hire for are very well paying, senior-level non-management positions. I can't think of a single Master's degree major that would be a legitimate asset to the job and I would not be willing to invest in a candidate that I would reasonably expect to keep looking for a position in their chosen field. Leave the MA off if you are applying for jobs that are completely unrelated.

In my industry, on the job experience is a bigger factor. An MA won't earn you a penny more. There is also a wide gap in what is taught in the academic world, and how individual employers operate.

 

[low-key]

I say there are no lies on resumes, just unfortunate miscommunications

 

[RDR_BU]

I have not sent out a resume in a long time. But I have a crazy number of certifications and designations (6 accounting/audit certifications and 10 life insurance designations) and would probably leave some of them off of the resume. Having too many of those things can be viewed in a negative light; e.g., certification chaser.

But not sure if I would leave off a degree. I only have a Bachelors though.

 

[smadath]

People tailor resumes to specific jobs all the time. It's not lying, it's including pertinent information about you. As a PP said, if you didn't have an MA but included one on the resume, it would be lying. Or, if they ask during an interview if you have any other education and you omit it, that would also be lying. But just not including it on the initial resume, imo, is not lying.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think it's fine.

 

[Happy Snowman]

I don't see an issue with it on a resume. Do you have EVERY job you have ever done on your resume, back to your jobs in high school? Probably not. Now, if you needed a background check for the job and had to fill out paperwork for that and omitted, that would cause problems. Also, in the corporate world, having a masters doesn't always translate into higher pay. It might help you get a higher paying job that requires a masters but won't usually garner more pay for a job that does not. I can see why people would leave it off a resume. It's hard to get hired if you are overqualified for a job--at least in the eyes of the hiring manager of being over qualified.