Recruiter: The three things you MUST lie about in a job interview if you want to score the role
A hiring professional has made a surprisingly candid admission about the job interview process. Her revelation? When interviewing potential candidates, she expects them to lie in answer to certain standard job interview questions.'I've been conducting interviews for years, and I know when someone is lying to me,' the recruiter shared in an job interview tips online discussion post.'But let me tell you, lying about the university you attended or why you left your job is not quite the same.'The hiring expert went on to outline three specific job interview questions where she feels it's permissible to lie because being overly truthful could work against you.The first instance, she says, is when answering the question "Why are you looking for a new job?".'Don't tell us you didn't like your previous work environment. That makes you seem like a difficult person to recruiters and makes us think you might cause problems in this job,' she explained.'Instead, say you're looking for new professional challenges.' A recruiter shared the three standard job interview questions where she would expect the applicant's answer to contain a few white lies (Picture: stock image)The second situation where honesty isn't necessarily the best policy is if a recruiter asks, "How did your old boss make you feel?".' 'Look, I've worked with some real jerks in the office, and everyone knew it,' she admitted.'But even though we all know tyrants exist in companies, don't tell anyone at another company that your old boss was one, because we're not from there, and again, we'll see you as a difficult person incapable of leadership.'The third instance where a white lie could be prudent is in response to the classic interview question: "Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?"She explained that even if you have grand plans that are far beyond the scope of the job you're applying for, it's best to keep those thoughts to yourself.'Although I also see myself running a farm with cows, I'm not going to tell people at the company,' she joked.'The company wants you there for a long time and they're thinking about the future with you. It's like going on a date and saying you're afraid of commitment.'Her job interview advice, shared in a Reddit post, explained that candidates need to reframe their understanding of a job interview as 'a negotiation, where the product the company wants to buy is your skills' rather than 'an exhaustive exam'. A hiring professional said job candidates needed to reframe their understanding of job interview from it being an 'exhaustive exam', to 'a negotiation, where the product the company wants to buy is your skills' rather than 'an exhaustive exam' (Picture: stock image)The recruiter explained that this is why she 'a good negotiator at the interview table' to do a little 'lying', citing the above as reasonable times to bend the truth. She also highlighted two other interview moments where being straightforward isn't always in a job applicant's best interest.Returning to the interview-as-negotiation concept, the expert suggested you should very carefully consider whether to reveal your actual salary from your previous company.'HR professionals are usually paid to find the most qualified candidates at the lowest cost to the company,' she explained.'That's why, during negotiations, if they pressure you to reveal your salary (which we will pressure you to do), don't give the real amount if you want a bigger raise.'Another circumstance where she felt embellishment is acceptable is if it helps you better 'sell yourself' to a potential employer.'I've interviewed top professionals who are far superior to an entire department, but they don't see themselves as such, and during the interview, they sabotage themselves,' she explained.'Don't use expressions like, "Well, I didn't do it alone, I had help." Instead, say, "We faced problems along the way, but we managed to solve them." That positions you as a leader and humble.'The woman's advice generated thousands of replies – many agreeing that they felt it was acceptable to lie about particular factors during a job interview. Many replies to the recruiter's job interview advice felt her suggestions were spot on. But some comments were frustrated about the game playing that sometimes occurred during the hiring process (Picture: stock image)'Interviews aren't lie detectors, they're sales meetings, so stop confessing and start marketing,' read one reply that had received thousands of upvotes.'Thanks for the honesty and clarity. Lying is not an ethical question, it is a tool you should learn to use. Lie and practise it to become successful, or don't and be a low-pay, confused loser.''It's wild how much of the interview process is just performance art,' another admitted. 'You just have to package your genuine skills into the narrative they want to hear.'A fellow recruiter thought the advice was spot on, offering additional suggestions.'I also recommend lying about values/culture. Do pre-emptive research on what the company's values or culture are and ensure during the interview you align your values with the company,' they explained.'I've seen many good candidates on paper who come across as someone who doesn't give a c**p during the interview. I get that realistically, people need work to earn money and shouldn't have to pretend. But if you're already giving "cbf" attitude even before getting hired, then it says a lot about what your work ethic is going to be like.'However, many replies to the post expressed frustration at the games involved with the job interview process.'I wish we could get rid of all this pretence and posturing and just be honest,' read one reply. 'I feel like both companies and employees are always putting on a show and pretending to be what we are not.''God, interviews are so exhausting,' agreed another. 'Like, you need someone to do the job, I need a job to do – cool, let's shake hands and see how it goes.'
