True….. or False?

It’s an often-repeated phrase in the search industry, “All candidates lie – even the good ones.” Ouch.

We have come to accept candidates “embellish”, and we need to be on guard for that in the interview process.

When it comes to how we as leaders represent our company’s opportunities, however, we all likely believe we’re representing them honestly and fairly. My guess is we all believe our co-workers (hiring managers and company leaders) speak the truth to candidates in the hiring process, too. Sadly, we’re learning that is not the case.

A recent ResumeBuilder survey of an experienced leadership sample group showed 4 in 10 hiring managers admit they lie to candidates in the hiring process.

What’s even more disturbing:

• 36% of hiring managers say they lied about the role of the company. Additionally, of this group, 75% of them lie in the interview process.
• Half of this group intentionally lie in a job description; and 24% of this group even lie in an offer letter!
• They indicate they most commonly lie about job responsibilities, growth and career development opportunities, and company culture.
• They also lie about benefits, commitment to social issues, the company’s financial health, and compensation.

And do their lies work? They do. Nine in ten hiring managers have reported a candidate they lied to was hired. Sadly, 55% also reported they have had an employee quit after being hired on false pretenses, with most gone in less than three months.

So, what are the takeaways?

• Define your company culture with regard to truth telling and reinforce what you stand for with your hiring managers. The truth must be told in the interview process in order to maintain employee trust and develop a loyal and successful team. You’d NEVER hire an employee who you discovered had lied to you in the interview process. Why would you tolerate lying from your colleagues?
• Is lying a thing at your organization? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps you should find out. It might be time to pay more attention to how job descriptions are written, participate in more interviews, and review the details outlined in a job offer. Trust, but verify. 55% turnover is what’s at stake.

In the race to hire the brightest and the best, we recommend you ensure that your hiring practices remain truthful and trustworthy. This will lay the foundation for a strong, solid relationship between your company and your new hire.