Candidates Lying to Get Hired?

Honesty is the best policy, but we all know that life isn’t perfect and there will always be moments where people resort to lying to get by. We're all guilty of lying at one point in our lives but when lying becomes a habit in the professional world it can have unpleasant consequences. 

One situation where honesty is extremely important is during the hiring process. Hiring managers and potential candidates owe it to each other to practice a high level of integrity but unfortunately, that may not always be the case. According to a recent ResumeLab survey, found that out of the 1,900 U.S.-based workers they surveyed, 7 in 10 of them confessed they had lied on their resumes to increase their chances of landing a job. Shockingly, 37% percent of them responded that they lie frequently to appear more competitive.

With how competitive the job market is today, many job seekers feel the pressure to ensure their resumes are attractive, hence the high prevalence of lying to increase their odds of landing a job. From the survey, it was also found that the things job seekers would lie about the most were responsibilities (52%) and job titles (52%). Resumes weren’t the only thing candidates reported lying about, cover letters were also a piece of the pie. 76% of workers reported lying in their cover letters while 50% admitted lying frequently.

Considering how prevalent lying is during the hiring process, how can you protect yourself and your business from being impacted? No one can read minds so detecting a lie can be tricky but it is possible to do some detective work to uncover potential lies before you decide to hire a candidate. Luckily, there are plenty of safeguards at your disposal if you suspect a candidate is being dishonest with you. Having applicants provide previous work references to contact in case you have questions about the candidate's behavior and punctuality at work. Conducting background checks can also prove useful in rooting out any dishonesty. Concerning skills, having tests in place during the hiring process can have candidates prove their proficiency with the required skills they claim to possess.

Ensuring your hiring managers remain honest during the hiring process is another thing to remember. Hiring managers that lie to interested candidates increases the likelihood of underqualified candidates being hired. Being transparent on what is to be expected from employees and what skills are required from the get-go is critical in ensuring integrity is maintained and displayed by employees and your company as a whole. 

Lying during the hiring process will always be a risk you will face but that doesn’t mean you can’t effectively guard against it. By approaching the hiring process with extra caution and putting more thought into your screening processes, you will give yourself a better chance at combating dishonesty and hiring top talent who have the skills to show for it.