Lying on a resume is common practice, but lying about the country you’re from is a little more unique.

While some might question the ethics of it, it is understandable that someone might inflate their qualifications and experience somewhat to try to give themselves an edge in the ever-competitive job market. No one can prove your 6-month stint as a manager at Blockbuster was actually a gap in employment history, anyway.

However, spending two minutes of an interview convincingly fleshing out a lie is quite different from spending your entire stint of employment pretending to be somebody you’re not. Presumably, it is not something anyone would do without having a good reason for it. Putting on the performance of being a happy, productive employee can be taxing enough without adding some extra spice into the mix. That is a lot of stress to live under, not least if the job is already stressful.