Jobseekers advised to use 'white lies' in interviews, employment expert says
Jobseekers are being told to lie when answering four common interview questions, as being completely honest could make an otherwise suitable candidate appear negative, desperate or unlikely to remain with the company. The advice does not mean inventing qualifications, changing employment dates or claiming experience that does not exist. Instead, candidates should use carefully controlled "white lies" when an honest but unfiltered answer would reveal information an employer does not need.
Chris DeCarolis, employment expert at PEO Metrics, said: "An interview is not a confession. Candidates should be truthful about anything an employer could reasonably verify, but they are not required to share every frustration, financial concern or private ambition behind their application."
He added: "The safest rule is never to fabricate your abilities or employment history. However, when a question is really testing your attitude, judgement or commitment, giving the most diplomatic version of the truth is often the smarter answer."
Why are you leaving your current job?
Complaints about a difficult manager, poor workplace culture or feeling undervalued may be entirely justified. However, explaining the dispute in detail can cause an interviewer to wonder whether the candidate is difficult to manage or likely to speak negatively about their new employer later.
Even if the real reason is an unbearable manager, candidates should give a positive, forward-looking explanation. A safer answer would be: "I have learnt a great deal in my current position, but I am ready for greater responsibility and opportunities that are not presently available."
DeCarolis advised: "Keep the answer focused on what you are moving towards, not who or what you are escaping. The interviewer does not need a complete history of everything that went wrong. Never invent a redundancy or pretend you resigned if you were dismissed, because those details may be checked. The 'lie' should be in leaving out the emotional detail, not in changing the facts."
Why do you want this job?
When asked why they want the job, candidates should identify two genuine aspects of the particular role that interest them rather than citing pay, job security, a shorter commute or escaping unemployment. DeCarolis said not to say it has always been your dream to work at a company if you discovered the company yesterday.
A convincing answer to why a candidate wants the job is: "The opportunity to manage larger client accounts caught my attention because it builds naturally on the customer relationships I currently handle."
Are you interviewing elsewhere?
When asked if they are interviewing elsewhere, candidates should not admit it is their only interview and should not invent a firm offer or claim to be at the final stage with several companies. A controlled response to whether a candidate is interviewing elsewhere is: "I am exploring a small number of opportunities that match my experience, although I am being selective about finding the right position."
If pressed for company names of other interviews, candidates can politely say they are keeping other conversations confidential. DeCarolis said a fake job offer is a dangerous bluff.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
When asked where they see themselves in five years, candidates should answer through the skills and responsibilities they hope to develop rather than sharing private plans to travel, change industries, start a business or naming a specific future job. A stronger response to where a candidate sees themselves in five years is: "I would like to deepen my experience in this area, take ownership of larger projects and become someone the wider team can rely upon."
DeCarolis said candidates do not need to disclose a distant ambition to open a business or spend a year travelling.
Preparation and final advice
Candidates should prepare interview answers in advance but avoid memorising complete scripts. DeCarolis concluded: "The best interview answer is not always the complete, unfiltered truth. It is the relevant truth, delivered professionally."