Many people, Gen Zers in particular, have embraced the practice of “manifesting”: essentially, believing that positive thoughts lead to positive things happening in life. Now, it seems some job seekers are applying the same principle to their CVs—listing skills that they may not have right now but they plan to “manifest” later.
A Resume Genius survey of 1,000 U.S. job seekers found that 53% have either considered listing skills they lack on their résumé before learning them, or have actually done so, while 44% of Gen Z admit the same—an approach known as “skills manifesting,” according to the company’s 2026 Job Seeker Insights Report.
Job seekers use this approach to stay competitive in an increasingly automated, technical job market. And while fudging the truth on résumés has been a common practice for as long as résumés have existed, skills manifesting may feel like a bridge too far. Experts say, however, that it’s just a symptom of how dire things have gotten for job seekers.
An ethical gray area
How skills manifesting plays out depends on the person doing it.
When it comes to which skills they manifest, women are twice as likely as men to list soft skills, like communication or leadership (25% vs. 12%), while men lean toward hard skills, like programming languages (21% vs. 14%). Age also impacts the trend: The report cited that by generation, Gen Zers are nearly three times more likely than boomers to have tried skills manifesting. Specifically, 44% of Gen Zers list a skill they haven’t yet learned on their résumés, while 42% of millennials, 28% of Gen Xers, and 15% of boomers do the same.
On its face, the trend seems blatantly dishonest. But it also “signifies how competitive and fast-moving the job market has become, with AI playing a major role in accelerating that shift,” Eva Chan, a career expert at Resume Genius, tells Fast Company. The practice lives in an ethical gray area, and while it’s not as bad as fabricating a degree or inventing a job title, “it’s not entirely above board either,” Chan explains.
The reality is, today’s job seekers are desperate. Layoffs just keep coming, which means more competition for scarcer roles. Even getting your application past an applicant tracking system (ATS) or the AI tools that recruiters are increasingly using means a human may well never even lay eyes on someone’s résumé.
“Listing a skill they’re close to having starts to feel like the only way to even get a foot in the door,” Chan says.
In a way, the trend makes sense, as learning a new skill is easier than ever, thanks to the abundance of online resources. And speed and a forward-thinking attitude may well be rewarded, if not outright necessary, in the age of AI. The technology has accelerated how fast job requirements change. Skills absent from job descriptions two years ago are now mandatory, leaving many applicants scrambling to figure out how to convey a degree of AI fluency on their résumés.
Besides that, most applicants have already known for years that unless their résumé contains certain keywords, an ATS may filter it out before it reaches a hiring manager’s eyes.
“Most people doing this aren’t trying to mislead employers. They’re trying to get a fair shot in a process that feels increasingly stacked against them,” Chan says. “The fact that 44% of Gen Z have already done this tells you how much pressure they’re feeling as a generation.”
Weighing the risks
Of course, like any degree of fibbing, the practice comes with risks. Chan says that “where it gets risky is when the timing works against you and the role demands that skill before you’ve had a real chance to develop it.”
Sometimes, the hiring process moves fast, and if you’re hired partly based on a skill you can’t actually perform yet, there’s a real risk in starting the role without that expertise. And managers will notice that quickly. “Early impressions in a new job are hard to recover from,” Chan says.
“Blatantly lying on your résumé is about covering something up, while skills manifesting is forward-looking,” she continues. “By including a skill that can be picked up relatively quickly, candidates are signaling where they’re headed rather than hiding where they’ve been.”
The safer approach, she says, is to list the skill alongside visible proof that you’re actively working toward it—such as a course in progress, a certification you’re pursuing, or a project you’re building.
“That reframes it from a potential dishonesty into a transparent declaration of intent. Without that backup, you’re just hoping no one calls your bluff,” she says.
“The distinction is fairly simple: If you can speak to the skill with clarity and context, it builds credibility. If you’re relying on ‘figuring it out later,’ it starts to cross into misrepresentation,” says Jill Chapman, director of early talent programs at HR tech provider Insperity.
Beyond just embarrassment, you’re risking your reputation, your relationship with your manager, and in some cases, your job and future potential connections, as word can get around in your industry, Chan says. And most notable skills gaps would surface quickly, especially in technical roles where skills are easy to test in real time, says Michelle Reisdorf, a district director with the HR consulting firm Robert Half.
“If that happens, it can erode trust with the team and, in some cases, lead to a short tenure if the role was heavily based on skills the person didn’t actually have,” she says.
Sign of the times
Skills manifesting shouldn’t be a surprise. Job requirements have expanded, and economic pressure, especially for early-career talent, has made the process feel more competitive and, at times, arbitrary, Chapman points out.
“When expectations feel unclear or unattainable, candidates adjust how they present themselves. There’s also a role for employers to play,” she outlines. “When job descriptions are overly aspirational, it can unintentionally encourage this behavior.”
Candidates can absolutely highlight skills in progress, but the level of proficiency should be clear, insists Chapman. For example, coursework or small projects signal exposure, while hands-on experience reflects deeper capability.
“Many hiring managers don’t expect candidates to meet every single requirement and often look just as much for potential and a clear commitment to growth, which is why transparency about skills helps build trust and keeps the process moving,” Reisdorf says.
Simple distinctions matter. For example, “learning SQL [Structured Query Language]” signals progress, “familiar with Jira” suggests exposure, and “proficient in Excel” implies consistent, real-world use. The key is that the skill level matches reality, Chapman says.
Being direct about your current capabilities and areas of growth creates a stronger foundation for long-term success.
Chapman says some of the strongest candidates can confidently state, “I haven’t done this yet. But here’s how I’d get there.”