Many employers have candidates present their qualifications in a video call before inviting them for an onsite interview. This was precipitated in large part by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, remote interviews during early rounds have become standard practice in the recruiting and hiring process. They are a strategic tool used by employers to screen a wider pool of candidates with more scheduling flexibility and fewer delays and cancellations. Not only do they save hiring managers time and overhead, but they also assess an applicant’s IT savviness and credible technical skills with platforms like Zoom, Skype, and Teams. This can be particularly important for hybrid and remote positions. Video calls are equally beneficial to those who interview because they eliminate commute concerns, parking difficulties, and waiting in queues. Virtual meetings hold as much value as in-person meetings before final interviews, yet there can be downsides.

Landing An Interview Without Exact Experience

There is no place for inaccuracy on a resume or application, whether by fabrication, embellishment, or omission. Don’t make stuff up, twist information, or distort details to gain an advantage. This constitutes professional fraud. While a company is unlikely to pursue legal action in response to a bad-faith misrepresentation, it can be at risk of legal liabilities related to negligent hiring practices in some instances. Purposeful inaccuracies discovered on a resume will almost always result in a candidate being removed from the hiring pool. Any deception discovered post-hire, even many years into tenure, may also result in termination.

Below are 10 ways job seekers commonly adulterate their resumes and applications:

1. Misrepresent prior employment or duration
2. Omit jobs or the reasons for leaving them
3. Falsify job titles or responsibilities
4. Overstate involvement in or contributions to a project
5. Exaggerate the level of education attained
6. Claim to hold a degree, certification, or licensure not earned
7. Inflate mastery of skills and abilities
8. Assert conversational knowledge of a second language as fluency
9. Overinflate salary history
10. Give fake references

Becoming a successful paralegal takes hard work and determination. Here are 20 ways to achieve success as a paralegal. Do you have suggestions for more?

1. Develop a Plan – Explore a range of non-lawyer legal positions. Identify specific, short term and long-term goals that will lead you to success. Enroll in school, expand your skills, talk to your college, work with career advisors and recruiters, volunteer, intern, and build relationships with others in the field.
2. Pursue Credentials – Take steps to obtain a certificate, diploma, or degree. Convenient options are available, both online and in person. Many firms require a credential as a pre-requisite for interviewing and hiring. Higher education will add value throughout your career.
3. Continue Learning – Successful people are students for life. Cultivate a growth mindset. Increase your knowledge. Law is always evolving. Stay current and informed by attending seminars and completing practical, skills-based training and courses created specifically for paralegals yearly.

If you have a criminal past, you have likely encountered difficulties re-entering the workforce or obtaining a professional position. A career change or job search with a conviction can be challenging. However, many find success! They can and do enter the legal field, despite the limitations a criminal record presents.

Any part of a candidate’s background that violates accepted social standards or involves dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or violence may impact interviewing and hiring decisions. Law firms typically refrain from reviewing or selecting candidates with a misdemeanor or felony conviction for drugs, assault, theft, burglary, trespass, and any offenses involving weapons. These are considered crimes of “moral turpitude.” Moral turpitude crimes disqualify a person from obtaining a Notary Commission in many states, and notary licensing laws disallow felons. Associations and organizations (including those that are not legal) may also deny testing, membership, and affiliation for applicants with a criminal background. However, there are opportunities in the legal field that do not require a designation or organizational membership. It will be important to explore possible restrictions in licensure and certification as you move forward in your professional career and educational pursuits. If you have a crime on your record, research the laws and regulations in your state so that you fully understand any job, designation, or membership restrictions.