ResumeBuilder.com just reported some disturbing news: 36% of hiring managers say they’ve lied to job candidates about a job or the company during the hiring process. Among them, 75% said they lied during the interview, 52% in the job description, and 24% in the offer letter.
The survey found that some hiring managers lie more frequently than others. “In fact, 6% say they lie all the time, while 24% say they do most of the time. On the other hand, 45% say they lie only some of the time, and 25% say they don’t lie often,” ResumeBuilder.com reports.
What are they lying about? Topping the list are the role’s responsibilities (40%), growth opportunities at the company (39%), career development opportunities (38%), company culture (31%), benefits (28%), commitment to social issues (27%), the financial health of the company (26%), and compensation (24%).
Specifically, the reasons the hiring managers gave included:
- “To protect sensitive company information.”
- “To cover up negative information about the company.”
- “To attract job seekers, some benefits are exaggerated.”
- “To deliberately say things that will please the candidate.”
- “To make the job sound better than it really is.”
- “To attract more qualified candidates.”
The tactic can’t be successful, though, can it? It can be for recruiting: 92% of the hiring managers who have lied told ResumeBuilder.com that they’ve had a misled candidate accept a job offer. But retention is another story.
“[About] 55% say they’ve had an employee quit after being hired on false pretenses, as a result of discovering they were lied to in the hiring process,” ResumeBuilder.com points out, adding that these exits were swift in most cases. “In fact, 14% say the employee quit within a week, 35% within a month, and 31% within three months.”
So, how can job seekers protect themselves? You can start by looking for red flags in the job description and following your instincts during the hiring process. Review our tips on How to Spot Bad Employers, including double-checking what hiring managers tell you online and brushing up on your LinkedIn detective skills. Plus, don’t be afraid to ask a few hard-hitting questions during the interview process that might help you uncover untruths. Our recruiters offer some of their favorites here.
Reputable recruiters can help in other ways, too. Lying to job candidates to get them signed on—with little regard to retention—isn’t something a firm like The HT Group is willing to do. Many recruiting contracts aren’t complete until the new hire has been on the job for a few months or even a year. Even outside those arrangements, upstanding recruiting firms aren’t willing to risk their reputations for that quick win.
Unfortunately, some hiring managers will say anything to get you on board, but you can be savvy and uncover many lies before it’s too late.
