I had two people axed for falsifying their resumes in a year. The saddest part is that in both cases the lie that cost them their job was not significant to getting the job. In other words, if they told the truth they still would have gotten the job, they would still have it. One was a lie about education. The other was a lie about a previous job.
So how do you let people know about a problem in an interview and still get the job? By being accurate and brief. If you merely attended a school without graduating, say it. They can ask you about your degrees if they care. Don’t make up any jobs. If they care about a gap in your resume, they’ll ask. They understand taking 6 months to find a job. It happens.
Tomorrow I’ll tell you what to say about a job that was horrible with a boss from… never mind. That’s tomorrow.
The way you get people to trust you is to be honest. Gasp! If you have to talk about something you want to avoid, say only one sentence. Be accurate and very brief. Get on to the next question and anwer, the one they will remember.
Something to do today
Write down one sentence replies to questions you don’t want to delve into during an interview. Go over the list an hour or two before the interview. Right before the interview read the list of things you want to emphasize. You need to be thinking positively when you go into your interview.
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Later: Interview like an Eagle – 3
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