Honesty is the “best policy,” we’re told. Well, apparently not when it comes to job hunting.
Sure, fabricating achievements on your CV will inevitably come back to bite you on the backside but there are certain instances where erring from the truth is vital to your success, according to a recruitment influencer.
Bonnie Dilber has amassed a loyal following on TikTok thanks to her tips and tricks about securing employment.
And yet, her most viral video isn’t about the right template to use for resumés, but a list of the three things that we should all “lie about in every interview”.
They are as follows…
1. Negative relationships with colleagues
In the clip, Bonnie explains: “If you are leaving your job because you really dislike it because you don't get along with your boss or your colleagues, you're gonna lie about this.
“Please do not tell them that your boss doesn't like you. Don't tell them that everyone's really hard to work with. All they're gonna hear when you say that is that you are difficult.
“Instead, you're gonna say something like, ‘Things are going great, but I wanna take on bigger challenges’.”
2. Why you really want the job
The head hunter acknowledges that “100 per cent of people who want a job want it for the money and benefits”. But, she says, you shouldn’t admit that to your potential future employer – to do so would be a “big red flag”.
Instead, she recommends: “You are gonna tell them why you're passionate about the company's mission, why this job is your life's work, and you are just such a good fit for the culture of this company.
3. Your plans for the future
“I don't care if you are starting grad school in six months and just need this job as filler. I don't care if this job pays half of what you're used to making and you are gonna jump ship as soon as you find something better. When they ask you about your plans for the next five years, your plans are to be at that company,” Bonnie says.
“Your plans are to come in, knock it out of the park in this role, and continue to grow as opportunities arise.”
Concluding her advice, the TikToker stressed: “Recruiters are not dumb. We know that if everything was awesome at your current job, you wouldn't be leaving. We know that you are in it for the money and the benefits. We know that you believe if there is better money and better benefits [you’ll go] somewhere else – but those are universal things.
“So if you can't differentiate yourself from the crowd, if you can't come up with anything better than those really basic things, if you don't have the critical thinking to know that those aren't going to be very attractive to an employer, then it's gonna be hard for a recruiter to move you forward in their process.”
@bonniedilberCompanies want to hire top talent that will grow with them over time. Here are three things you're going to want to lie about to present yourself in this way. #interviewtips #jobseekers #jobsearch #interviews #recruiting #careertok
Her recommendations have proved divisive among viewers, with a number insisting they find such tactics demoralising.
“This corporate Hunger Games is exhausting,” one wrote.
“I don’t have a passion. I don’t want a career. I want a job so I can live. That’s all. I don’t wanna play all these games,” admitted another.
“What does it say about employers that they want to hire the best liars?” asked a third.
While a fourth lamented: “Lying is an executive function skill. Knowing when and how to lie is essential to survive our current hellscape.”
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