A CV is supposed to tell the story of a person's professional life. But sometimes, the story gets polished a little too much. A job title becomes more impressive, responsibilities become achievements, a short internship becomes several months of experience, or a skill that was barely used suddenly appears as a major strength. While deliberate deception on a resume can have serious consequences, psychology suggests that the motivation behind CV lies can be more complicated than simple dishonesty. Research on self-presentation, impression management, cognitive load and self-concept maintenance suggests that some people exaggerate because they are trying to control how others perceive them, protect their self-image or cope with the pressure of competition.
