Lying Doesn’t Pay
I started in the search business in 1972, joining a company that has long since disappeared. I was trained by a man who I referred to as “Swami” (it was not a reference to his ethnicity but to his being my teacher, my guru) who taught me the three jobs of the search business.
Q. “How can you tell a company is lying to you?”
A. “Their lips are moving”
Q. How can you tell a recruiter is lying to you?
A. Their lips are moving.
And, of course:
Q. How can you tell an applicant is lying to you?
I’m sure you’ve guessed the answer.
The problem with lying is that in almost all cases, you will be found out. Companies do background checks that will expose whether you are lying about salary or responsibilities.
The dumbest thing to lie about is whether you have a degree or a degree from a particular university. It will always be found out.
Work for a company that doesn’t officially comply with referencing? Trust me. There are back channel approaches to finding out about you. An employer recently Googled a person I referred to them and discovered their penchant for day trading; it wouldn’t be such a problem if it were not for the fact that the employer was a hedge find and the person was going to be exposed to their trading model.
And, having received phone calls from people who were greeted by security when they returned from lunch one day, their personal belongings in a box to be taken home after they were escorted from the building, I assure you that lying can be exposed.
Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com
© 2006 all rights reserved.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.
To subscribe to Jeff’s free job search ezine, Head Hunt Your Next Job, sign iup at www.headhuntyournextjob.com. To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, go to http://www.jeffaltman.com
If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at jeffaltman@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position, include your resume).
