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There Is No Incentive To Give Honest Answers At A Job Interview

One wrong answer can result in your application being placed in the dreaded "future reference" file.

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lying liar dishonest dishonesty legal ethics unethical perjuryPeople who make hiring decisions responded to my piece last week where I gave honest answers to stupid job interview questions. I thought it was silly to expect the interviewee to predict their future career path or to disclose personal weaknesses that may end up disqualifying them from the job.

They pretty much said, “We know. We never expected an honest answer.”

One reader said that the questions were designed to test an applicant’s stupidity and lack of knowledge (I have to give props for the brutal honesty here). Another said they wanted to know if the applicant had the ability to distinguish between the correct answer and the honest answer.

We all know that everyone – but especially the applicant – should come to the job interview prepared. We prepare so that we answer every question quickly, accurately, and with confidence. And, of course, honestly.

But for many job interview questions, honesty might not the best policy, especially if the answer is not what the employer expects. One wrong answer can result in your application being placed in the “future reference” file — the one located right between the shredder and the toilet paper.

There are certain questions that have to be answered truthfully, especially those that can be easily verified. This includes questions concerning the schools you attended and previous employment. We have all heard the stories where lying has resulted in serious consequences such as termination, blacklisting, and even professional discipline.

Also, some questions can’t be answered honestly because they call for speculation. An example is the infamous question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” And unfortunately, we cannot make a speculation objection at a job interview. But if we must answer, we may as well do it in a way that will make us look good.

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Many inexperienced job seekers are under the impression that if they provide honest answers to interview questions, then the employer will appreciate it and find a way meet the applicant’s needs. They were told this by their career development office, their parents, and every positive mentor and role model they know. But this does not apply in a fiercely competitive labor economy, where the employer has a choice between many candidates and one imperfection can result in immediate rejection.

But I don’t think interviewers will accept lying on a massive scale. Keep in mind that dishonesty also takes preparation. In fact, it takes more work because in order to avoid giving contradictory stories, you have to fabricate details of months or even years of your life. And if other people are involved, you will also have to convince them to go along with your charade. Most will refuse to do so. And if hired, it doesn’t mean you can immediately forget your intricate web of lies because they will come up again and again, and you will have to think of more lies to cover up the old ones. For many people, no job is worth this level of stress.

Employers and recruiters should expect to hear the same scripted answers to most job interview questions. You are going to have to step up your interview game if you want to hear the truth, if you can handle it. Maybe a good start would be to somehow convince applicants that honest answers will not be used against them. But don’t expect us to believe that anytime soon, if ever.

Earlier: Honest Answers To Obsolete Job Interview Questions

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Shannon Achimalbe was a former solo practitioner for five years before deciding to sell out and get back on the corporate ladder. Shannon can be reached by email at sachimalbe@excite.com and via Twitter: @ShanonAchimalbe.

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