lying on job interviews

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Mar 11, 2010
or stretching the truth.......is it ok to do this?

especially if you're just trying to get in the door........being honest sometimes in situations like these only get you a "well you dont have the experience we're looking for".

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People do this all the time.

People also get fired all the time for not being able to do the things they say they can in their interviews.

Out of the 200 or so interviews I've conducted in person and on the phone as a manager in my life so far, it's even more pathetic when you call them out on their claims and force them to speak on the skill in any particular amount of depth.

Have fun!!!
 
Depends on how far you go with it. Don't go lying about the college you went to or what degree you have. But I think it's fine to "embellish" your accomplishments...i.e. say you know more about a particular software more than you really do, or have spent more time on it then you really have. In that case, I don't think it's a huge deal as long as you're confident in your ability to use that software.
 
I wouldn't lie, but I'd emphasize how what I can do is what the company is looking for and downplay my weaknesses.

One of the things I learned during an interview is when the interviewer asks you what your weaknesses are, try to find some that are completely unrelated to your field and state them. That way you aren't corny saying things like "I have no weaknesses" or "I work too hard and put too much effort into the company", instead say something like "I'm not very good at remembering names or faces" if you're applying for a software engineering job for example.
 
Well, one of my boys just started lying (stretching the truth) on his resumes and has been getting call backs and interviews like crazy. Me? Telling the truth and getting lost in the sauce.

The choice is yours. Mine is about to change a tad.
 
Originally Posted by Bastitch


People do this all the time.

People also get fired all the time for not being able to do the things they say they can in their interviews.

Out of the 200 or so interviews I've conducted in person and on the phone as a manager in my life so far, it's even more pathetic when you call them out on their claims and force them to speak on the skill in any particular amount of depth.

Have fun!!!

laugh.gif
wow

i just thought some jobs will on the job train you once you get your feet in.....like a no biggie kind of thing.......

didnt know they'll just throw the ball out on the court and say "show me what you know"

if it matter's this is about forklifting.......i think they'd train me a little on how to operate it......shouldn't be too complicated.
 
^^ I take it you're working in a warehouse kind of environment.

I'd emphasize the fact that you're an active dude, go to the gym a lot, and you're good with machinery and cars. Basically saying that you have all the skills required for the job and you have interest in them too.
 
Originally Posted by scshift

^^ I take it you're working in a warehouse kind of environment.

I'd emphasize the fact that you're an active dude, go to the gym a lot, and you're good with machinery and cars. Basically saying that you have all the skills required for the job and you have interest in them too.
i put in an app today, didnt get an interview yet......but im usually honest about my skills...which results in me not getting a second interview.....but this time if i do get that call...im lying til my teeth fall out......
ohwell.gif


and i use to be in the gym......gon get back eventually.
 
Originally Posted by Dmvbatman

Originally Posted by Bastitch


People do this all the time.

People also get fired all the time for not being able to do the things they say they can in their interviews.

Out of the 200 or so interviews I've conducted in person and on the phone as a manager in my life so far, it's even more pathetic when you call them out on their claims and force them to speak on the skill in any particular amount of depth.

Have fun!!!

laugh.gif
wow

i just thought some jobs will on the job train you once you get your feet in.....like a no biggie kind of thing.......

didnt know they'll just throw the ball out on the court and say "show me what you know"

if it matter's this is about forklifting.......i think they'd train me a little on how to operate it......shouldn't be too complicated.
You better think twice about that.  Handling a forklift is dangerous stuff.  If you claim to have a certain level of knowledge, they're going to start training you based on that knowledge.

There is "stretching the truth" on your resume, and then there's positioning yourself correctly.  On your resume's, you can emphasis how much my department has grown and then insert your contributions towards that.  You basically want to tell paint a picture for the recruiter of how you can contribute to the success of their department/company and why you are different from the other couple hundred resume's they will get.
 
lying about knowing how to operate heavy machinery has to be the dumbest idea ever

plus why would you even need to lie to work in a warehouse

they hire just about anyone off the streets
 
Everybody lies in interviews...if you were so awesome you would have a job already so of course you are going to sound better than you really are.
 
With that additional context, there's a chance that you can fake out recruiters/Human Resource people. But if you show really subtle signs like not knowing basic terminology/nomenclature, the likeliness of you completely embarassing yourself goes up dramatically.

At that point it's just a matter of whether or not the interviewer wants to embarass you for even trying to lie in an interview.

I've never done it myself, but I've had collegues that had no problem doing it, since the guy was here wasting our time and the company's money.
 
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