1. Lying on your job application or resume

By Beverly West, Monster Contributing Writer

Tell the truth from the start, because you will be held responsible for the information you provide—and your employer will check it. Generally, educational background checks can take up to a month after hire. “I recently had a candidate fired from a large financial company after being there for a month, because she lied about her educational background,” Star says. “This woman did not need a degree for her editorial assistant position but said that she has one anyway—and one month later when the cat was out of the bag, she was immediately let go.”