The importance of honesty during the job interview

Maintaining honesty during the job interview can save you from getting hurt. Many people think that the ideal is to mask possible lack of experience, but it is exactly the opposite: recruiters tend to “forgive” this point on the resume much more easily — which can even be resolved with training — than dishonesty.

Remember that recruiters can use several strategies to spot lies during a job interview, as they have experience identifying inconsistencies and red flags.

To give you an idea, recruiters often contact references provided by the candidate to verify their information and get a more detailed perspective on their skills and experience, for example. Therefore, a tip is not to lie about previous experiences — but also not to speak badly about the previous company. Just tell the truth, but without going into details or exposing feelings about what happened.

Additionally, a human resources professional can research the candidate on social media looking for information about their professional and personal life. Thus, if there is any inconsistency or contradiction, the candidate is discovered.

Some companies also conduct practical or technical tests to verify the candidate’s claimed skills. So if there are any lies about your skills, the test results can bring the truth to light.

In turn, even the candidate’s body language during the selection process can contribute clues about honesty (or lack thereof). Facial expressions, gestures and posture can reveal discomfort or nervousness when answering certain questions, and leave recruiters on the lookout.

Importance of honesty during the interview

Being honest during an interview shows the employer that the candidate is trustworthy and has integrity. These characteristics are very welcome in any work environment, which can have positive impacts on hiring.

Furthermore, honesty can be responsible for establishing a solid foundation of trust between the candidate and the interviewer, which can be essential for a healthy working relationship. Meanwhile, dishonest behavior can trigger the opposite effect.

When the candidate is true when it comes to their values ​​and expectations, they automatically have a better chance of finding a company whose culture and values ​​align.

Betting on honesty can also be a way of thinking about your long-term reputation within the company. This is because lies can be discovered later, which can lead to embarrassment in the future, and depending on the severity of the situation, even lead to dismissal.

But honesty is not only beneficial for the company: the professional himself also faces benefits, because by being honest about his skills, he is placed in a position suited to his skills, allowing him to develop more effectively and avoiding the stress of needing learning something in a hurry, to take care of a demand that goes beyond reach.

By admitting their own weaknesses, professionals also show a willingness to learn and improve, which can be valued by employers. Therefore, instead of lying about a certain skill, make your interest in developing it clear.

It is worth noting that honesty can contribute to building a lasting career within the company, in addition to serving as a source of personal satisfaction, contributing to a sense of professional fulfillment and emotional well-being.

Risks of lack of honesty during the interview

There are possible consequences for a lack of honesty during the interview, so the candidate should not underestimate the recruiters’ abilities. These dangers can be both short and long haul.

1 – Loss of trust

One of the consequences of a lack of honesty is the loss of trust on the part of leaders or even co-workers. When a professional does not value ideals as important as honesty, they end up damaging interpersonal relationships .

2 – Lack of credibility

Lying in a job interview can leave the professional’s credibility at risk once discovered. Not only can this affect hiring at that specific company, but word about dishonesty can spread, affecting reputation.

3 – Embarrassment

If the lie is discovered publicly, the candidate may face personal and professional embarrassment, and it is a situation that could have been avoided.

4 – Dismissal for just cause

As we already mentioned, it all depends on the severity of the lie, but if a candidate is hired based on false information and the lie is later discovered, it could result in dismissal for cause. Many companies have strict policies regarding falsifying information during the selection process.