When asked if they know someone who included false information on a résumé, 46% of workers said they did, according to a survey by OfficeTeam, a division of Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE: RHI). That’s up from 21% who said the same in a 2011 survey.

Areas cited as the most frequently embellished were job experience — 76% knew someone who did this — and duties, with 55% saying they knew someone who did that.

In addition, 53% of senior managers suspect candidates stretch the truth on résumés, and 38% said their company removed a candidate from consideration after discovering a lie.

More male workers, 51%, know someone who has lied on their résumé than female workers, 39%.

“It may be tempting to stretch the truth on a résumé to stand out, but even small misrepresentations can remove an applicant from consideration for a position,” said Brandi Britton, a district president for OfficeTeam. “To verify information and avoid costly hiring mistakes, employers should conduct thorough interviews, reference checks and skills testing with the help of a staffing firm.

The OfficeTeam survey included more than 1,000 US workers aged 18 or older and more than 300 senior managers.

Here are five signs a candidate may be lying on a résumé, according to OfficeTeam:

1. Skills have vague descriptions. Using ambiguous phrase like “familiar with” or “involved in” could be an attempt to cover up lack of direct experience.
2. There are questionable or missing dates. Large gaps between positions or listing stints by year without months can be red flags.
3. You get negative cues during the interview. Lack of eye contact or fidgeting may suggest dishonesty, but don’t make a judgment based solely on body language.
4. References offer conflicting details. Ask initial contacts about others you can speak with about the candidate.
5. Online information doesn’t match. Don’t always take what you find on the internet at face value. There may be multiple professionals with the same name or legal issues with how the information can be used. Verify facts during the interview and reference-check process.

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