How much do you lie in an interview?

24 Comments

1. AnonymousNovember 14,2022 at 8:16PM UTC

   None. I do not lie in an interview.

2. Melissa CorriveauNovember 14,2022 at 8:37PM UTC

   Do not lie. I think you're setting yourself up for future failure by doing so.

3. AnonymousNovember 14,2022 at 8:52PM UTC

   outright lying about your skills is a recipe for disaster-however there are ways to say you know how to do whatever it is but perhaps you haven’t had hands on experience. Maybe you need to apply to jobs that you have the skills for

4. AnonymousNovember 14,2022 at 9:52PM UTC

   I am also a brutally honest person however I have learned to hold my tongue when more information is not required when answering interview questions. I have also learned to pause, think/imagine the perspective from others in the room with what I am about to say, and then speak. Absolutely no lying.

5. AnonymousNovember 14,2022 at 9:57PM UTC

   Definitely don't lie. That will catch up to you. If you're lacking skills that are more or less standard in your field or industry, find a way to acquire them, or develop a plan for doing so, that you can share with potential employers. If the skill is company-specific, they shouldn't expect an outside hire to have the skill. If you're caught off guard by a request, discuss how you're a quick and eager learner and would enjoy the challenge of learning something new.

6. AnonymousNovember 15,2022 at 12:38AM UTC

   Dealing with someone who lied about his skill set. We're in the firing process now. Don't recommend you lie. If the skills are truly necessary to do the job, you may not be able to do it.

7. AnonymousNovember 16,2022 at 1:19PM UTC

   I think it’s worth mentioning all of the studies that show men apply for jobs where they only hold half of the qualifications listed in a posting, and that women don’t apply unless they have all of the skills. Interviewing is strange because you aren’t supposed to lie but you aren’t supposed to be too honest, and you’re supposed to brag but not too much.

8. AnonymousNovember 16,2022 at 1:22PM UTC

   Thank you all! I’ll continue being brutally honest!

9. Amanda BurtNovember 16,2022 at 1:27PM UTC

   I am unfortunately usually brutally honest which has cost me jobs.

10. Cassandra SchmigotzkiNovember 16,2022 at 1:43PM UTC

    My husband had a similar mindset... stretching the truth.

    Are you a fast learner? Say something along the lines that while you aren't familiar with it yet you feel that you can learn it quickly.

11. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netNovember 16,2022 at 1:43PM UTC

    If you are not qualified for the job, that is a disaster waiting to happen. You must be honest about your skill level. If you are working through a recruiter, they should not present you if you do not have the required skills. I am a fan of the first interview being a phone screen and you can address if they are willing to train. They may have some flexibility if you have most of what they need or the critical things. You must not misrepresent yourself. Trust me on this.

12. Clydene HorriganNovember 16,2022 at 5:44PM UTC

    I disagree that you must have ALL the skills listed to apply for a job or that the screening process failed if you get interviewed without all the skills. If you have 80% of the skills and the aptitude to learn the others, apply for the job! In the interview, be honest about what you know and what you can learn. Talk about a situation where you had to learn new skills, the approach you took, and the outcome.

13. ReachingGoalsNovember 16,2022 at 2:09PM UTC

    HA! I didn't get invited to a second round because one of the questions was "where to you see yourself in the future?" My answer was I'm retiring in 5 years. Didn't really want the job so didn't care and honestly now that I see how this new guy works I really dodged a bullet. However, you CAN say I don't know how to do that but have been researching how to gain that skill and am confident that it will not be an issue. Another sentence I'm famous for is "I have no idea, but I will figure it out". Then I do.

14. AnonymousNovember 16,2022 at 2:11PM UTC

    I am honest if it is something I have no experience in at all, however I tend to be a fast learner if I have done it once in the past I say I know how to do it. It really depends what it is.

15. AnonymousNovember 16,2022 at 2:12PM UTC

    Usually, missing skills won't get you through to an interview, because that should be clear from your resume. So if they are weeding you out for not having the skills at the interview, they are not doing a great job screening out candidates who do not have the required skills for the job. The interview is about getting to know if you are a good fit.

    Most hiring managers know they can train you on some skills, so if they get the idea that you are unflexible or not easy to coach or open to feedback, that is more likely to be an issue.

    Reframe their concerns by pointing out how you have learned in the past or overcome situations where you have been challenged on the job. We have all been there, so being honest here should not be a problem.

    So yes, be honest. But reframe to your advantage.

16. Maggie StoneNovember 16,2022 at 2:25PM UTC

    Think of the interview as a sales/marketing pitch or a first date. There is truth in advertising. Don’t lie or exaggerate about skills, experience, education, or credentials, but you don’t have to air your dirty laundry either. Keep it positive, professional and proactive.

17. AnonymousNovember 16,2022 at 2:46PM UTC

    I do not recommend lying, but find ways to show you have the transferable skills, or that part you are learning. I thought I lost a job because the executive director asked me about my experience with something and it completely threw me off. I hadn’t even heard of that. My response was “I’ll be honest in that will be a learning curve for me because I’m not familiar with that. However, when I don’t know something I’ll find a way to learn it.” I thought I blew the interview at that point. They actually appreciated the honesty and I was the top candidate. This was after 8 1/2 months of being unemployed and doing too many interviews to count. Learning how to tweak the phrasing helped, and so did the honesty.

18. Erin Thomas, Career + Leadership CoachNovember 16,2022 at 2:47PM UTC

    No no no do not lie. DO NOT LIE. Instead, translate what you DO have and show how that is a key value proposition. And of course if it comes up state that you’re a quick study and that you’ll upkill in areas you don’t have experience in. But don’t lie. 1- it’ll come back to bite you later, and 2- it’ll shoot your confidence down because you’ll k ow you lied, and 3- it probably goes against your values, which’ll make you feel yuk.

19. Kimberly GrahamNovember 16,2022 at 4:58PM UTC

    I agree with many of the comments here and would never ever lie in an interview about skills or experience since it would set you up for failure yet highlight your willingness to learn and your applicable experience. I would much rather higher a less experienced person with an amazing attitude and aptitude vs. a candidate with 100% of the skills who might feel over qualified or bored from the beginning.

20. AnonymousNovember 17,2022 at 1:10AM UTC

    I would not lie. If you lie on your resume, application, or an in interview it can lead to termination once discovered. I would say something like, "I have not had the opportunity to do that yet, but I look forward to learning it." Adding that you are a quick learner and not afraid to ask questions, (if true), will also help.

21. Mathieu DutourNovember 17,2022 at 2:38PM UTC

    Why be "brutally honest" and not just "honest"?

    Do not lie about skills in interviews. In any case, the hiring manager's daily job is to detect lies so don't play with experts.

    But you can sketch a path to learn the skills in question. If you do not know them, do you see yourself learning them? Is it something you are interested?

    The hiring managers understand that you do not have all the skills in the job advert. But that is usually not a deal breaker. What you need is to convince yourself and then the hiring manager that you can learn those skills easily.

22. Amanda BurtNovember 18,2022 at 1:53PM UTC

    Not about my skill level usually, but about something relating to the job. For example, in one interview, there were supposed to be two managers interviewing me, but only one showed up and the one who did knew less about the position than I did-he admitted it. So when I asked him a question regarding one of the primary tasks and he had no idea, I asked why he was tasked with interviewing for the position? He sputtered a bit, so I responded with, you drew the short straw today?

23. Mathieu DutourNovember 19,2022 at 8:30AM UTC

    You should have a rational decision process:

    (a) Some companies can have dysfunctional recruitment processes but still be good places.

    (b) Everyone has bad moments, one moment does not need the recruitment is always bad.

    (c) At some point you will have a better interviewer, just not now. So, you have to pass that obstacle.

    (d) You may be able to get some idea of the job without the interviewer.

    So, the following is a rational approach: Make sure that the incompetent hiring manager is impressed by you so that you can pass that obstacle and get to the next round with a competent hiring manager.

    If that is a killer for you, you can use humour. But you will likely not get to the next round.

24. AnonymousNovember 18,2022 at 9:06AM UTC

    Take your husbands advice.