|
Ask Me No Questions, Ill Tell You No Lies
If only there were no questions involved in getting a job! If you've been following NBC's "The Apprentice," you know who Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth is. She's had the honor of being fired by Donald Trump (and others, according to "People" magazine). A while back, Omarosa claimed that one of the other contestants made a racial slur against her. According to website opinion polls, only 10% of viewers believed Omarosa's claim; 90% thought she was lying. These poll results were showing BEFORE viewers of the April 15, 2004 episode saw Omarosa lie to members of her team, including her "boss." It wasn't a little white lie, it was a biggy. And it had nothing to do with trying to win the game, because she'd already been fired from the competition. I won't go into the details... talking about Omarosa could keep me busy for about 50 pages. I believe that, despite Omarosa's obvious intelligence, talent and skills, her decision to tell lies rather than take responsibility for her actions (or inactions) is going to ruin her career. It's a real shame, because she has so much going for her. But her lying will be her undoing. And when she fails, she's going to blame others. She reminds me of... uh-oh, I'm starting to get off on a tangent. Back to my point... don't lie to employers... or potential employers! Telling a little white lie when you "call in sick," is one thing. Lying about your qualifications on your resume or during a job interview is quite another... do not do this, no matter how tempted you are! It will come back to haunt you! When you've been struggling to find a new job, have you ever thought about: - Putting a friend's name as your previous boss on the application?
- Making something up about your experience so you'll match the desired qualifications?
- Exaggerating your education?
- Saying you resigned from a job when you were really fired?
- Failing to mention a little felony conviction from couple of years back?
Maybe the company in question is trusting, understaffed, or lazy and won't do a background check. But are you willing to bet your career on that? In this fiercely competitive job market, the temptation to lie in order to boost your chances of getting a job can be pretty strong. But BECAUSE the job market is so tough, employers are getting tough, as well. Very few are now taking resumes and applications at face value. Trust is nice, but when it comes to their hard-won personnel budget, ever-increasing demands for better customer service, and their sometimes-fragile reputations, companies are taking no chances with the people they hire. No matter how desperate you are for work, lying is a bad idea. Most employers will check your references (carefully), do a thorough background check, and find out about your "inaccuracies." Let's say you "exaggerate" your qualifications on your resume. The employer is impressed and calls you in for an interview. She asks about your qualifications, and you must lie to back up your resume claims. She falls for it, fails to verify your references or background, and hires you. Can you breathe a big sigh of relief? Nope. Now you have to back up your claims with your job performance. If you start to struggle, chances are good that you'll start to lie again. Eventually people will get suspicious, and the background check will finally be done. You are busted! But the sad story doesn't end there. You lose your job and vow to never lie again. You correct your resume... but wait... what about that job you were just fired from? It only lasted a few months. Would leaving it off be lying? If you leave it off and are asked during an interview about that employment gap, what would you say? So you decide to include it on your resume. Then you're asked in the interview why you left your previous job. Oh no! You tell them you left because it wasn't the right fit. This company does check you out, and get the truth from your previous employer. Now they know you were fired. But worse, they know you lied about it. There go your chances for THAT job. See the nasty snowball effect that lying can cause? Don't do it! You may reprint/republish this article if you include my name and a link to this website. Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Jobs City of Rochester (.gov)
Careers Washington State University
Careers The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation
JobFeed NSW Department of Education
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Concept That Could Double Youre Income in Mystery Shopping
Do you want to double, or increase significantly you're income in mystery shopping? If yes, I'll be sharing to you an age old concept. Now you might have learned this already or you may consider this common sense.
When The Going Gets Tough -- The Tough Keep Going
If you've been in a job search for more than a few weeks you may be experiencing the feelings of defeat and despair, not to mention the urge to give up. It's been a tough year, and then some, for those who have lost jobs for whatever reason.
Lost Your Job? Ten Ways to Bounce Back!
Whether you've been right-sized, downsized, underutilized, or just plain fired, looking for work is a life-changing experience that rocks your world. Regain your equilibrium with these ten strategies and get back to being your best.
How to Be Prepared for a Layoff
If you are concerned that your company might be planning a layoff, your best course of action is to be prepared. Employees often see warning signs that their jobs may be at risk.
Technology in the Workplace - Boon or Curse?
Like all new innovations, technology in the work environment can either work for you or against you. What is good for the employer or is not always the same for the employee.
Overwhelmed and Overworked: The Myth of American Productivity
Employment finally seemed back on track during the first few months of 2004. Politicians crowed that "Our tax cuts are working.
Your Self-Image in the Workplace
When communication breaks down in your office or factory and workers lack motivation, what are the roots of the problem?
On a study tour of a Fortune 500 food company, Peter Grazier, an international consultant specialializing in employee involvement, stopped to chat with an elderly machine operator.
Within minutes, the operator began discussing a solution for quickly clearing bulk food material from a clogged hopper - apparently a frequent problem.
TMI: The Resume Destroyer
"They say my résumé should be only one page long. Is that correct?"Not necessarily.
Ten Courses Of Study If You Want To Be Your Own Boss
For many Americans, an important component of the American Dream is the possibility of hard work turning into financial fortune. The career exploits of such self made magnates like Andrew Carnegie, Lee Iaccoca and Donald Trump are examples for many.
How Important Is It To Stand Apart From Others In An Interview And How Difficult Is It?
Any professionally trained interviewer can attest these questions are the most asked by people involved with job-hunting. How important is it? Absolutely vital! ? How difficult is it? Not hard at all.
Career Searching: A Vision Without A Plan is a Hallucination
Success is not always something you necessarily find when you arrive. It may be the journey that gets you there.
How You Can Find Opportunities For Foreign Language Proof Reading Work
For those who are fluent in another language, foreign language (ie non-English) proof reading can be a great source of income. It is a difficult area for those who are not fluent to get into though.
Consultants - If We Cant Laugh At Ourselves?
There are hundreds of varieties of Consultants these days. We can find Consultants to take care of our diets, our physical well being, our mental well being, and pretty much anything you can imagine when it comes to business.
Seriously Impress at Your Interview With These 7 Hot Tips
So you've managed to secure a job interview for a position thatfits you PERFECTLY. Now comes the moment of truth: Are youREALLY ready for the interview? If you've rehearsed what you'regoing to say and know the perfect answer to every potentialquestion, you're half way there.
How To Get That Promotion
If you're looking for that promotion or pay rise then you'll need to be noticed by your employer, so here's a few tips to stand out from the crowd:Have a Friendly & Positive attitude towards Everyone you come into contactProvide Service and treat Everyone as your customerBe Professional at all timesAlways look for extra work, especially when others are ducking for cover to avoid itWatch what your colleagues are doing, copy from the ones who are receiving praise for their efforts but learn to do it better than them, while avoiding doing what your "lazier or negative" colleagues are doingBe a Thinker and offer suggestion on how to do things better and more efficientlyPlan and follow your planDon't Procrastinate, do what needs to be done NOW!!Think ahead, when ask to do A & B, do C as wellAnticipate the next question and provide the answer before you're askedDress and Act as if you were already in the position you want to reachGo to lunch with successful people and learn from themDon't be afraid to ask questions and ask for helpAvoid Office PoliticsBe an Individual while being a team playerLearn everything about your company and productsFollow these tips and you won't need to ask for a promotion or extra money, it will happen automatically.Garry Munro is a successful consultant, speaker & coach.
How to Give Job-Winning Answers at Interviews
Human Resources personnel, professional recruiters and various other career experts all agree: one of the best ways to prepare yourself for a job interview is to anticipate questions, develop your answers, and practice, practice, practice.There are plenty of websites that offer lists of popular job interview questions, and knowing the types of questions to expect can be very useful.
Avoiding Tire Kickers as Job Seekers
With the economy heating up and employment prospects opening up after years of dormancy, it is more critical than ever for employers to understand that unfortunately, career "tire kickers" still exist in the marketplace. Demand for quality talent, especially at the senior executive level, still outweighs supply.
Why You Only Really Need Four Sample Resumes
Any job seeker looking for sample resumes usually doesn't have to look very far.A multitude of sites today are offering free sample resumes on the internet in addition to the avalanche of books that are released each year touting resume examples.
Sawbones
I was rushing through the white-tented terminal building at Denver International Airport when my attention was diverted - as if often is -- by a storefront massage business. Checking my wristwatch, I calculated I had just enough time for a 20-minute chair massage.
Home Healthcare Careers
One of the fastest growing sectors of the medical industry is that of home health. There are many reasons for this growth, but most important are:The number of aging and infirm citizens in the country.
|