You’ve been out of work for months, the interviews have dwindled and you are becoming desperate. You finally receive a call for a job that you do not remember applying to, but it’s all right because at least it’s an interview. Suddenly you realize, you are not actually qualified to do the work the interviewer is describing to you. You decide, what the heck, I can learn. So you proceed to “fib” and say that you have experience doing what’s asked of you and figure you’ll learn later when your foot is in the door.
I understand the temptation to not be 100 percent honest while on an interview. Being interviewed is stressful and looking for work is even more stressful and frankly, desperate times can call for desperate measures. However, that one little “fib” can turn to two, then three, and then you realize you’re stuck in a vortex of lies that you don’t know how to get out of.
Honesty, especially while on a job interview, is important. You may think that exaggerating your accomplishments, or claiming to have done something on your resume that you never did, is small and insignificant but lies can quickly turn into more lies. Being honest and realistic about what you can and cannot do on the job is beneficial to you in the long run. Sure, saying you can perform a certain duty may get you the job, but when your supervisors eventually find out that you are indeed not qualified, you will not only be fired but they will always remember you as a former employee with poor performance skills and productivity. This is not the way you want to be remembered.
Being honest in a job interview also shows what type of person you are. Employers want ethical employees with integrity who will admit when they need help. These kinds of employees are likely to last longer and be more productive. If you’re reduced to lying and pretending to be something you’re not, your integrity is immediately called into question.
The situation can become even worse if your supervisors or co-workers ever come to find out that you lied to attain your position. So, just be safe and be honest. If you’re in an interview and you truly do not know an answer to a question or have never performed a certain duty, admit it. This does not mean an automatic rejection. Follow up your admission with, “but I’m willing to learn and do whatever it takes to get the job done.” The interviewer will appreciate your honesty and you’ll be better off for it.
SOURCE: Business Week
IMAGE: Courtesy of Song and Sayings
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