I’ve heard it said many times: “You have to lie to succeed in your job interviews.” I never really put much thought into this saying until my own job search, when I found myself in a situation where I felt I had to be dishonest to get the job.
At first, I was hesitant to even consider the idea. After all, I pride myself on being honest, and the thought of lying to land a job felt wrong to me. But the competition for the job was fierce, and the other candidates had far more experience than I. I felt like I was out of options, and that I had to resort to less-than-honorable means to get the job.
So I started to think more seriously about the idea of lying to succeed. I decided to do some research to see if there was any truth to this saying.
I discovered that, unfortunately, lying to get a job is more common than I thought. According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, almost half of employers have caught applicants lying on their resumes, and more than a third of employers have caught applicants lying during the interview.
The survey also showed that the most common things applicants lie about are their skill sets, educational background, and work experience. And while it may be tempting to embellish your qualifications to get the job, the truth is that it’s not a good idea.
Lying on your resume or in your job interview can lead to serious consequences. If you’re caught lying, you could find yourself in hot water with the company, or worse, you could be sued. In addition, lying can prevent you from getting the job, since employers are likely to think twice before hiring someone who has lied.
So is there any truth to the saying “lie to succeed”? While it may be tempting to think that lying can help you get the job, it can actually have the opposite effect. Instead of lying, the best way to stand out in a job interview is to be honest about your qualifications and to demonstrate your knowledge and skills with examples from your past experiences.
If you’re honest and prepared, you’ll be more likely to land the job than if you’re dishonest. Lying can only get you so far, and it could ultimately backfire.
At the end of the day, the old adage “lie to succeed” is nothing more than a myth. The truth is that honesty is always the best policy in a job interview. Lying will only hurt your chances of getting the job, and it could even lead to legal action.
If you want to stand out in a job interview, be honest and prepared. Show the employer why you’re the best candidate for the job, and you’ll be much more likely to land it than if you resort to lying.