Economy of Lies?

Would you tell a big, fat lie to get a job? Have you been bold-faced lied to in an interview? This past few weeks I've had more than the usual number of people lying to me in an interivew. What gives?

I think most managers realize that there will always be candidates that tell white lies, exaggerate their experience or make up a degree in the interview process. It's an understandable failing in confidence. However, since our "economic downturn", I've seem to have had an unusual number of people tell big lies that have had big consequences. Is there a correlation between bigger lies and the economy?

I'm not sure what's the issue but it's a real issue to me. When I call a candidate, it's my intention to do whatever I can, with all my knowledge and resources, to help that person find a position that will satisfy them and make them want to get up in the morning happy to go to work. Not just to pay the bills, not just to put in time, but to be truly happy. Sometimes that means putting what I would like to see happen aside. I take a personal interest in seeing candidates succeed. So, when someone tells me a big whopper it really chaps my hide. Let me explain.

I spoke with a guy this past week that seemed straight up, knowledgable, and ernest in his desire to work with a good company. I put him forward to the client. He was asked if he applied for a position with this company previously to which he replied, "no". My client let me know they had spoken to him directly before just three months ago and another recruiter put him forward recently as well. To add to the issue, there was someone else similar and I thought my client was confusing the two candidates. Here's the rub. I told my client he was confusing them and please take a look again because, by now, the candidate had twice said he didn't apply previously. In the end, my client sent an email the candidate wrote to him. Busted.

Busted, but to his credit, this candidate actually apologized for his lie and the trouble it caused. In the end however, this lie caused the most trouble for the candidate and it will carry with him for future career searches. That's too bad because he really needs a job in these tough times. Tough times can lead to drastic measures but do the means justify the ends?

If he reads this blog, or someone else who's tempted to lie to get a job does, let me end by quotingBuddha who said,"the only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows".