May 19th, 2010
i am applying for a job as a literacy tutor (for elementary age kids). on the job posting they say “experience tutoring elementary age children is essential”
i have worked as a camp counselor for about five summer, and advantaced to head councelor at one camp, i started a reading program at one camp, and i am a psych major who has studied about 5 courses all concerned with child development and learning. I AM IDEAL for this job but have never tutored a kid before. I know if i can get into the interview room they will be dazzled by my enthusiasm and hire me. BUT i am afraid once they see i have never tutored a child my resume will go straight in the bin.
what should i do? i was thinking about saying i tutored one of my friends young cousins. if i needed it she could give me a reference . . .but i have never lied of my resume before and feel bad doing it!
what can i do to still get an interview without lying??
the reference would be a “fake” reference i.e my friend would say i tutored her cousin when i didn’t . . .i donno if the employer could check that out for real but i just feel bad about lying. i am torn anyone have any tips to get an interview without lying even though i lack the experience they say is essential .
its just a crummy student summer job i do not think they would invest in background checks or anything.
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8 Comments
just lie, everyone has at least one lie on their resume and you already said youd be ideal for the job and could get a reference if you wanted to.. so whats the big deal? i mean why feel bad if youd be good at the job?
you do realize they do check those things you say on your resume? don’t you?
Just what do you think they’ll do with your resume when they find out you lied?
You should say all your accomplishments. It does not hurt to lie in an interview unless it is a huge lie. A small lie like tutoring, they would believe, just prepare yourself for the question. In the interview be yourself but try to say little lies as possible, if it is too big they can catch on.
If you lie on a resume and you are discovered, it can be grounds for termination. Not to mention, word will get around the industry. If you can’t be trusted with your own information, how can you ever be trusted with a company’s? Lying is never the answer.
You should NEVER EVER lie on a resume! Your credentials are just fine.And if you really need tutoring, then actually do it! Honestly just do a little tutoring for a week or so.
But, really, what you’ve done so far would be fine.
Remember: DO NOT LIE.
Actually, you probably have more experience that you may realize. You mentioned being a camp couselor, and I’m sure, in many ways, your duties there in many instances were very much like the same duties of a tutor. I would address this directly in a cover letter attached to your resume, or in an email sent with your resume, by stating something like, “although I don’t have traditional or formal tutoring experience, my extensive experience as a camp couselor entailed and encompassed many of the same skills required by a tutor.”
Then you could go on listing specific examples of how you’ve “counseled” or “tutored” kids. For example, if you think about it, what’s tutoring really? It’s sitting down with a child, and being able to deliver a lesson to them. How do you do that? You need to be keen and be able to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and tailor your lesson delivery method to that. I mean, isn’t that sort of the same thing as you did as a counselor? Maybe the “lessons” at camp weren’t math or reading or science or such, but they were indeed lessons. Whether they were about time management (being on time for certain activities), or conflict resolution (working through problems with roomies or friends or even enemies). Or even helping with social and interpersonal skills, whether in/with groups as a team, or even individually as a self esteem builder.
I’m sure you’ve done many of those things, all you have to do is get creative and figure out which/what you’d like to highlight, and show them how it relates to “tutoring”. That way, not only do you show that you do indeed have experience, but you also show that you understand that tutoring, is NOT just about sitting down and teaching someone how to add two numbers or such. You know it’s about much more. You know it’s about helping someone secure confidence in themselves, you know it’s about teaching them to connect the dots so to speak, so that they can figure things out for themselves, when you’re not there to guide/teach them. And so on and so forth.
So technically, you couldn’t lie even if you wanted to, because you’ve already had the experience. …Good luck!
Lying on a resume is a BAD idea. Doing a check is quick and inexpensive, and most places do them. You are better off to go with what you have than to provide false references. Because who knows–they might want this document, that, that, and that….it could turn into a nightmare! Be honest.
Don’t just lie! You don’t have to lie. You do have the necessary experience you just don’t know that yet. It’s all in the marketing of the skills you already have. Listen, if you lie, you have to keep lieing and eventually it will bite you back. But you really do have the skills to be a tutor. Here is what you do. You tell them, mentored and provided students with one on one attention in order to excel their reading and writing skills. Created a camp wide reading program in order to enhance reading abilities and grade levels for camp attendees. Ensured that students stayed on target for reading tasks. Do you see what I mean. Don’t lie, just enhance what you’ve got and be confident in your ability to do the job!