Man does it like “Mike Ross” and lies to get a leadership position – experts discuss the risks

A recent Reddit post sparked a heated online discussion about work ethic after a user admitted to exaggerating his resume to land a high-level position he felt unqualified for.

The post, shared by u/slickrickthasnake on August 21, received over 1,600 comments, with many viewers sharing online that they know other workers who got their jobs the same way.

In the post, the user, who says he's in his early 30s, describes how he exaggerated his qualifications and previous work experience to land a job as vice president of sales at a mid-sized company. He admitted to “overemphasizing” his work history, causing the company to believe he had more experience than he actually did. Although he initially felt confident, he is now overwhelmed by the demands of the role and feels unable to handle it.

“The biggest problem is that I'm stuck in this love triangle and I don't know what they actually want,” the user said. “The end goal changes every month and every strategy I suggest is rejected.”

He added: “I fail on all counts and have neither the experience nor the skills to master this crap… I feel like 'Mike Ross' in Suits.”

Mike Ross is a fictional character from Suitsa legal drama that aired between 2011 and 2019. Ross, played by Patrick J. Adams, had a storyline in which he lied on his resume to land a senior job as a lawyer.

The user described being caught between two partners with different visions for the company's future and a third-party investor who was solely focused on an IPO or acquisition, even though the company was “losing money.”

While his actions may be questionable, they are not uncommon. A 2023 ResumeLab survey found that 70 percent of 1,914 participants lied on their resume, with 37 percent admitting that they lie frequently.

Lying on your resume is illegal, said Aidan Cramer, founder and CEO of AIApply. Newsweek“While it may be tempting to exaggerate certain things on your resume, such as manipulating certain numbers, extending the date of employment, or claiming you completed certain tasks when you did not, doing so could get you in trouble and result in serious consequences.

“Making false statements on a job application is considered fraud and is a crime punishable by heavy fines and even jail time. These lies may seem minor but can be classified as 'fraud by false statement' which, if caught, can be punishable by jail time,” he added.

The user had shared that while he had a “pretty good work history and education,” he “overemphasized” the past when applying for jobs. His lies landed him the position of Vice President of Sales, which he never expected, after a long application process.

“I'm also pretty sure they think I'm older than I actually am, but they never asked,” the user said.

To illustrate where he had exaggerated his abilities, the user said that he once interned as a vice president of sales at a much smaller company.

“The owner of this company owned a franchise that I worked for part-time, and I was basically making $50,000 a year as an administrative assistant with a fancy title,” they said. “Because I worked part-time for his original company, it looked like I had been there for seven or more years, when in reality I had done very little and was only making $15 an hour most of the time.”

Two years ago, the employee used this role to land a job as a regional manager at a larger company, and from then on he continued to work on building his resume for future positions.

“I gave my buddy who worked with me as a reference and was hired. I was making $110,000 a year plus bonus,” they said. “I was doing OK there, but it was clear I didn't have what it took and was still learning. I was laid off in March.”

“My boss, who I got along well with, said they would 'check anything I need for reference.'”

“I have seen leaders like you”

The post struck a chord with many Reddit users and prompted a wide range of opinions. Many commenters expressed sympathy for the user, offered advice on how to handle the difficult situation, and shared that they know other workers who have used the same tactics in the past.

“I've seen leaders like you everywhere,” said one viewer. “You're not the only one.”

“This is quite normal,” added another. “There is a lot of nepotism in these high-ranking positions and it shows in this incompetence.”

A third user shared: “Yeah, didn't they even interview for a management position?”

“So for God's sake don't make it worse by confessing, then maybe you'll at least get some compensation,” said a fourth user.

“They've stumbled up the corporate ladder and somehow managed to make it every time,” added another. “Honestly, it's just impressive.”

Gianpiero Petriglieri is a professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD, a business school that is part of the Sorbonne University Alliance in France. Petriglieri said Newsweek that while some people feel that employers turn a blind eye to such lies, in the long run they can catch up with job seekers.

“It's a very bad idea to lie on your resume and throughout the hiring process,” he said. “I would never recommend it.”

“This is the kind of action that reveals a dangerous cocktail of too much confidence and too little integrity, the recipe for bad leadership,” he said. “Now some might look around and say – sometimes for leadership by the people. Not in my opinion and not in the long term.”

Despite assurances from viewers on Reddit, Cramer said lying during a job search can seriously jeopardize both one's current position and future opportunities.

“If you get caught lying early in the process, you will most likely be eliminated from the hiring process,” he said. “If you manage to get through the hiring process, lying on your resume can cost you the job in the long run if you get caught later.”

“The company could take legal action against you and you will have difficulty finding employment if a new potential employer finds out about it.”

The recruiter says that some fraud prevention systems can store data for years, so someone who lied years ago could still be caught the next time they apply for a job.