Honesty is the best Policy in your job search
The Lies We Tell: Why honesty is the Best Policy in Your Job Search (A Recruiter’s Rant)
As a recruiter, I spend countless hours sifting through CVs and interviewing candidates. Ideally, this should be an exciting part of the process – finding the perfect match for a company and a candidate. But all too often, it turns into a frustrating exercise in unravelling embellished truths and outright lies.
Let’s be clear: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗩 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱.
📞 For Recruiters: It wastes our time and resources. We meticulously sift through 100’s of CVs, screen applications, and schedule interviews – only to discover inconsistencies or blatant falsehoods. This not only delays the hiring process but also damages our trust in these candidates.
🤥 For Candidates: Getting caught in a lie is a surefire way to get disqualified. Worse, it damages your reputation within the industry. Recruiters talk, and a bad experience with a candidate can follow you for years to come.
But beyond the immediate consequences, there’s a deeper impact:
💔 A Broken Relationship: The foundation of any good recruiter-candidate relationship is trust. Lies erode that trust, making genuine connections impossible. This is especially damaging for long-term career prospects, as recruiters rely on building relationships with strong candidates.
😲 Wasted Potential: When you lie about your skills, experience, or place of residence, you’re setting yourself up for failure. You might land the interview, but you won’t have the skills to do the job, or the interest to work where the company is based. This can damage your confidence and hinder your professional growth.
Here’s the truth: Every recruiter wants to find the perfect candidate. We’re here to help you find your dream job, but we can only do that if we have a clear picture of your location, skills and experience.
So, ditch the lies and embrace honesty.
💡Highlight your transferable skills and relevant accomplishments.
💡Be upfront about any gaps in your employment.
💡If you lack a specific skill, be open to learning and development opportunities.
💡Be honest about your location and your preferred working environment.
By being truthful, you show your professionalism and increase your chances of landing a job that’s a great fit.
Remember: Your reputation is your most valuable asset. Don’t jeopardize it with a lie.
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By Therese Otten