Have you ever been “wowed” by the extraordinary, overwhelming results presented by a candidate only to find out that he pulled a Gumby!
What is that you may ask? Gumby is the boy made of putty, the “shape shifter” that can become whatever you want him to be! Hopefully you identify Gumby during the interview… but often it is after the candidate is hired. We then ask; How did I miss that? Or, I thought they could do that? Or, Did their evil twin show up on the job?
In a Harris Poll conducted on behalf of CareerBuilder, 2,188 hiring managers were asked to provide the most memorable lie they have ever caught on an applicant’s resume.
Hold on to your hats, these are great!
– Applicant claimed to be the assistant to the prime minister of a foreign country that does not have a prime minister.
– Candidate claimed to have been a high school basketball free throw champion. He admitted it was a lie in the interview.
– Applicant claimed to have been an Olympic medalist.
– Candidate’s resume claimed he’d been a construction supervisor. The interviewer learned the bulk of his experience was in the completion of a doghouse some years prior.
– Applicant claimed to have 25 years of experience at age 32.
– Candidate claimed to have worked for 20 years as the babysitter of known celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Madonna, etc.
– Applicant listed three jobs over the past several years. Upon contacting those employers, the interviewer learned that the applicant had worked at one for two days, another for one day, and not at all for the third.
WHO IS LYING?
On average, 59% of survey participants in the retail industry said they discovered a lie on a resume or application.
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON LIE?
– 57% of survey participants – Skill set embellishments
– 55% – Embellished responsibilities
– 42% – Fabricated dates of employment and job titles
– 33% – Embellished academic degrees
– 26% – False claims about employment
WHAT IS AN EMPLOYER TO DO?
To HIRE FOR RESULTS and avoid surprises after the fact follow these important tips.
– Review the job description and update to ensure it reflects the role as it exists today. If you do not have job descriptions, now is the time to create one for this and other roles.
– Create behavioral interview questions that are based on the job duties and results you desire. This ensures you ask the same questions of each candidate and you don’t “wing it”. A typical interview consists of 3-5 open ended behavioral questions and a couple of yes/no questions. This helps ensure the candidate does most of the talking.
– Teach managers how to interview and what to look for.
– Review the job description in the interview to ensure the candidate understands what he/she is going to be expected to do and the results they are going to be expected to achieve.
– Conduct reference and background checks to validate information gained from the candidate.
The candidate should create a “moment” each time they interact with a customer in your business. Make sure your interview is a memorable event and remember the interview is as good as it gets.