Don't believe most job candidates are lying to you?? A research paper by the University of Massachusetts showed that 81% of people have lied about themselves while speaking with employers.

Difficult finding for employers. So what are these people lying about? Well, it ranges from little white lies to big nasty ones!

Here are the top 10 lies many candidates will tell you:

* Dates of Employment.

* Level of Education.

* Previous Salary.

* Previous Title.

* Criminal Record.

* Future Goals.

* Technical Skills.

* Reason for Employment Gaps.

* Project/Task Results.

* Reason for Previous Termination.

So how does an employer protect themselves and learnt to know when a candidate is lying to them?

1. Read Resumes More Carefully.



Did you know that a 2015 Career Builder survey of more than 2,500 HR and hiring managers found that 70% of the time, they spent less than 5 minutes reading each resume during the recruitment process? Less than 5 minutes! Reading the words can be quick, but employers must spend time reflecting on resumes to read between the lines and find quality interview questions that test the truth. Especially watch out for ''fluffy'' words or jargon that can aim to distract you from core missing facts or information. For instance, "drove new business" is a reasonably fluffy but common theme on resumes for salespeople. If you find loose language or gaps, either discard the candidate or make a list of direct and challenging questions for the interview to test these statements for validity.

2. Social Media.



Facebook tends to show the reality of a person and is often a great reflection of how they will perform at work. Although many claim social media is an exaggeration of someone's life, it will reveal a lot about their attitude and personal qualities. Linkedin is also a great source. Connect with candidates on Linkedin, look for standard connections you share, and reach out to them for references. Also, look at the types of posts a candidate makes, not to look for inappropriate behaviour, but to see their involvement in the industry. For example, suppose a candidate claims to have ten years of marketing experience but follows no one else in the marketing world or never shares marketing-related posts on social media. In that case, chances are they are not being truthful.

3. Ask Direct Questions. 



Open questions like "tell me about yourself" and "what do you enjoy most about your last job" are excellent interview questions to open the conversation. However, ensure you also have a prepared list of direct questions to test the candidate's truth and resume. For example, "Walk me through your wine list and what you would recommend to customers in your previous waitressing job." "What was your sales target, and what specific strategies did you use to achieve them." Ask for stories and examples about a candidate's experience and skill levels, and listen for specific answers. The more details a job candidate gives you in their responses, the less likely they're' exaggerating. Also, pay attention to whether candidates are just rehashing their resumes to you. If a response sounds memorised or overly rehearsed, take it with a grain of salt. Even better, challenge the candidate by asking, "are you telling the truth?" to see how they respond.

4. Body Language. 



Words are easy to fake. Body language is much more complicated. When asking specific questions, take note of body language as much as what's said. If the candidate looks nervous when answering, this may indicate the truth of their response.

Candidates exaggerating or even lying is a fact. Unfortunately, 81% of those you interview will fit into this category, so don't rush the selection process and keep your wits about you.

Cheers,

Simon Ingleson

CEO/Founder @ RosterElf

Magically Simply Staff Rostering


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