Is it ever ok to lie? Not! Call them fibs, falsehoods, fish stories, tall tales, terminological inexactitude or whoppers, but what’s really true is that lying has become as commonplace as paper money. Have you ever lied to your boss? Don’t answer to quickly. Think about it for a moment. Is there ever a time you believe it is ok to lie on the job? Or to get a job?

According to a study by University of California, Santa Barbara professor Bella DePaulo, “people tell an average of two lies a day and that’s the ones who will admit to telling, so I think lying is an everyday behavior that probably everyone engages in.” If this is true, the challenge for you as a job seeker will be keeping up with the lies you tell.

Here are some common things people “stretch the truth” about in the hiring process:
1. Some people lie about where they have worked in the past

2. Some people lie about the dates of employment

3. Some people lie about where and when they attended college

4. Some people lie about why they left the organization

5. Some people lie about what they have did on the job - job responsibilities

6. Some people lie about titles

7. Some people lie about salary

Lying by its definition should not be an option you choose when applying for jobs, during your interview or during your employment. Most companies spend a lot of money verifying your information, especially information included in your resume and cover letter and on their application. Don’t erode your chances for employment by lying.

I have received emails and comments from readers who believe that you can get away with lying on your resume, cover letter and more. I have been told that organizations don’t do background checks. Let me respond to those naysayers who believe that lying is acceptable behavior. If you are a job seeker making a serious attempt at getting employed in this market, don’t lie about anything. Why? Because if I am right and the organization you are interviewing with verifies information you have given. I can promise you that you will continue to be unemployed. Today, organizations are much more cautious that in days and years gone by. Companies will rescind job offers if something comes up regarding your integrity. Organizations don’t have to hire you today. There is a lot of competition out there. If you lie and they find out, employers will move on to the next candidate. So, is it ever of to lie? Nope! I don’t believe you have to lie to get a job, to keep a job. If an employer threatens your employment because you won’t lie, my next question would be, why are you still working there? I leave that discussion for another day!

Image Credit: sxc.hu

“So, you’ve been laid off?” An interviewer asked this question of one of my readers. You might think, harmless question. Lots of people have been laid off in this economy. The problem is that this reader was not laid off. They were fired. So how do you suppose this reader should answer the question? Do you think she should correct the interviewer? Or should she just go along? Maybe you think it isn’t relevant. She is without a job and interviewer assumes she has been laid off, what’s the big deal?

Ok, I’ll agree with you for a moment. Long enough for me to write this post. It doesn’t matter. If she says, yes, the interviewer moves on to the business at hand. The interview. She’s ready to talk about her skills and abilities. She can navigate this interview with no problem. Two weeks later the phone rings and the coveted job offer is extended. Let the celebration begin! She is now employed. It couldn’t come at a better time.

The problem is the offer was extended based on their perception that the candidate gave truthful information throughout the process.That is not true. In this case, the candidate was fired! For cause or unjustly, but none the less fired. You may think is a no brainer, but I get emails weekly from job seekers, trying to figure out what to say to a potential organization about being fired. For the record, there is a difference between being fired and being laid off. Let me also say this, if you are sitting in an interview and the interviewer assumes an answer - do yourself a favor and make the correction. Yes, you heard me. Ensure that what they know about you is what is real. They will make hiring decisions, either for you or against you, but at least they are making their assessment based on accurate information. What do you think?

Image Credit: sxc.hu

What do I do if I’ve been fired has become the most frequently asked question I get asked weekly here at Interview Chatter. The question is usually written in a comment on my most popular post, So You’ve Been Fired. I thought I would take a moment a restate some of my recommendations to people who have been fired.

My Recommendations:

1. BE Honest, Don’t Lie - I can not stress this first point. If you have been terminated from your employer for cause or without cause, you are facing a rather large hurdle. Dishonesty on your resume or application, will only make scaling the hurdle more difficult.

2. If they ask you directly, “Have you ever been fired?”, the answer is “YES” in a word. My point here is, don’t try to skirt the issue. If they ask you directly, answer directly and then follow-up.

3. If you have been fired, and you admit you have been fired, you may be screened out. Be prepared. There is nothing you can do about it. What you can do is continue to move forward in your job search. Every hiring manager gets to decide who they will interview and offer a position. You can not control them. Don’t let it frustrate you. Move on to the next potential opportunity.

4. Choose out of “Shame and Blame”. No matter whose fault it is. Choose your ATTITUDE. How you respond to a termination, just or unjust will be one factor that will determine how long you spend in your job search. Savvy hiring managers can smell a bad attitude. They can sense when you are carrying baggage into the interview. Get your emotions in check. Choose out of frustration and choose to see your great potential.

More to come on this topic. In the meantime, please feel free to scroll down and leave a comment. How can I help you navigate the turbulent waters around terminations?