Every one knows that applicants lie on their resumes. Some applicants fudge the dates of their jobs; others add to their titles and salaries and make them seem grander than what they really are.

Most employers these days do employment verification before hiring a new employee. But just how much employment verification they do depends on the company. Some companies have their human resource personnel check every line of the applicant's resume. Others give it a cursory check and rely mostly on the employee background check and the social security check.

Candidates who feel they do not have a very strong resume or who are worried about certain aspects of their resume should approach a resume writer or get more creative on their resume instead of lying on it. While the employment verification will definitely ferret out wrong information it is not going to turn up anything on creatively worded resumes.

It is also a good idea to talk to your references and let them know that you have applied for a particular position. So during the employment application if the references are contacted they will not be surprised. If possible, individuals should also speak to their references and get an idea of what kind of impression they are going to offer. Information provided by references is crucial in employment verification.

As part of the employment verification process, employers may also run background checks and social security traces. This involves checking on the individual's background including educational accomplishments, credit history and criminal record history. Some employers may insist on drug testing and psychometric testing as part of the employment verification process.

All employers looking to conduct employment verification that includes a pre employment screening have to request The Fair Credit Reporting Act for access to background information. The FCRA is not just restricted to credit reports but includes all "consumer reports."

Employers may also include screening test delving into an individual's credit records, academic records, personal references, driving records, criminal records and workers compensation details as part of the employment verification process.

For foreign nationals and non immigrants applying for a job, the employment verification process involves making sure that the applicant is legally eligible to work in the country. There are several different visas for non immigrants and foreign nationals and all of them do not allow the individual the chance to work in the country. Employment verification for these individuals should involve making sure that they have the legal status to work in the country.

How to Explain an Employment Gap

What can you do, instead, to put a positive spin on gaps in employment or jobs that aren't so great? One solution is to be creative and write descriptions of your position that put a positive slant on your responsibilities. "Extensive work with visual standards and merchandising high-ticket items." sounds much better than "Set up clothes racks." "I recently taught at risk preschool children. This position enabled me to provide those students with a head start in mastering basic skills." is much more effective than "Teacher assistant for Head Start." Take a look at our resume and cover letter samples to get some ideas on how to write a resume that will work for your situation.

How about filling in gaps on your resume? When listing dates on your resume you don't need to list the month/year if you were in a position for over a year or if your position spans years. You can say 2003 - 2006, for example, which will give you some room to cover gaps.

You don't need to list all your positions on your resume. The rule of thumb is typically to limit your experience to 15 years for a managerial job, 10 years for a technical job, and 5 years for a high-tech job. You can leave your other experience off your resume or list it without dates in an "Other Experience" category.

Include Other Work

Remember, too, that any volunteering, freelance work, consulting or can be listed in the employment section of your resume. List it just as you would list your other jobs - with job title, company name, dates of employment, etc.

Keep in mind, that there are a lot of people who have been out of work for a long time. It's not going to be a concern for most employers, because so many candidates are in the same situation. Finally, if you're asked why you weren't working during an interview, tell the truth. It's perfectly acceptable to say that you were home with your family, or laid-off or whatever else you might have been doing.

Being flexible and creative instead of padding or fudging your resume is going to get you much further in the long run and you won't have to lose sleep over whether someone is going to ask the wrong question and catch you!

Employment Eligibility Verification

Finally, when hired for a new job, employees are required to prove that they are legally entitled to work in the United States. Employers are required to verify the identity and eligibility to work for all new employees. An Employment Eligibility Verification form (I-9) must be completed and kept on file by the employer.

pilot program from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to verify employment eligibility for individual in the United States. The Basic Pilot Program employment verification service is free to employers and is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.