Don’t Be Too Honest?
Is there such a thing as too honest? Well, some of you may think there is, but I don’t. There are not varying degrees. Either you are honest or you are not. Either you are telling the truth or you are not. Pretty black and white.
I was reading an article this evening by Penelope Trunk, called When writing a resume, don’t be too honest . The title got my attention. But the article got me writing.
Here is a direct quote from her article, “The advice, “Don’t lie on your resume” is useless. If you don’t know lying is bad then you’re not qualified for any job. The problem is that most issues of resume truth are not so black and white.”
The first part of this paragraph, I agree, wholeheartedly! As I stated in my post earlier today, Do You Dare Lie? No one should have to tell you not to lie.
I completely disagree with Penelope Trunk on the latter part this paragraph. Either a lie is a lie or its not. Either the statement is true or it is false. I have included the next part of her opening paragraph.
“A well-written resume to one person is a pack of lies to another. Make sure yours falls somewhere in between, which is no small feat. We all know there is such a thing as stretching the truth too much. But there is also such a thing as being too honest.”
I will say it again, either what you are writing in your resume is true or false, period. Stretching the truth is a lie. How can Penelope Trunk or anyone else for that matter say that what you write on the resume should “fall somewhere in between.” What is that? Where is that? And who defines that?
The definition of a lie is making a false statement. A deceptive statement is a lie. Stretching the truth is a lie. If the middle is stretching, than it is a lie too. Period.
Here is an example of stretching the truth that Penelope Trunk gave in her article.
“My 21-year-old brother, Erik, worked summers at Blockbuster Video where, predictably, none of the mostly-teenaged employees followed company rules. In a fit of productivity my brother rearranged the displays to be in line with the standards sent from company headquarters. At the same time, store sales increased ten percent. So (as the family resume writer) I wrote on his resume, “Assumed responsibility for in-store marketing and increased sales 10%.” At a family dinner, we passed around Erik’s resume. (Yes, we do this in our family.) My 34-year-old brother, Mike, said, “Are you kidding me? This is such crap. No one will believe this.” Erik kept that line in his resume, and he explained and supported it well when challenged in interviews. Recently, he landed a job at an investment bank.”
Please feel free to read her article in its entirety. I want to know if I am the only one who has a problem with the first part of this article.
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POSTED IN: Interesting Stuff, Preparation & Planning, The Interview
18 opinions for Don’t Be Too Honest?
jess
Jul 16, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Well a lie is a lie and that is the truth. If you have to stretch the truth or lie on a resume then you havent done the work in the first place..why should you be expected to do it in the second. Seems like Ms. Trunk teaches in this that by jepardizing your values you can get what you want.
Darlene McDaniel
Jul 16, 2007 at 10:22 pm
Hey Jess - Thanks for visiting! I appreciate your comments. I feel very strongly about this issue of “stretching the truth” even when it can be “defended in the interview.”
That is all I will say for now. I need to be quiet and listen to others right now. Thanks again for your comment.
adonna
Jul 17, 2007 at 7:25 am
The truth is just that….
Diane Daley
Jul 17, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Penelope makes some important statements about how to win a job. Her story about her brother is not a lie as long as he actually increased sales by moving the product (in-store) which is marketing. He searched other companies and put his skill to work. Taking advantage of the opportunity to excel. In any small way we can enhance the productivity of a job is a win win. Her 3 points are worth heeding. Would you want to tell it all in an interview. Unless we are fresh on the job search with little experience, we probably have some things we would prefer not to mention. To win at a job it is all about the product and yes we must become that product if we want to work in that company. Once we get the job, performance is what they want. Good article Darlene.
Rika
Jul 17, 2007 at 3:58 pm
I totally agree with you.
First off, how can you be “too honest?” Do you “slightly lie” to prevent from being “too honest?” That absolutely, positively makes no sense to me. A “slight lie” and stretching the truth are both lies.
Honesty is honesty and lies are lies, period. It’s as simple as that. The in between that society has “invented/made-up” does not exist.
I am an advocate for “being too honest” because to me, that’s what makes sense.
Darlene McDaniel
Jul 17, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Adonna - Thanks for visiting and your comment. I agree, the truth is the truth. I would love to see us get back to that rather than be “somewhere in the middle.”
Diane - Thanks for your comments and thanks for visiting. Yes, Penelope does make some great points about winning a job. And my purpose in writing this blog is to create a place, a resource for people to come who need help with getting a job. I especially appreciate your comment about what Penelope’s brother “really did.” That is probably where I take issue with the story. Did he really increase sales? If I go by what Penelope wrote as well as the response of the big brother, I would say that is questionable. Which of course is why I pose this question. My husband agrees with you. :) Thanks again for stopping by.
Rika - thanks for your comment! My questions exactly! Just so you know, we are possibly in the minority with our thinking. I like your comment about the creativity we have made of truth vs. lies. The inbetween seems to exist in the minds and lives of many today. It is unfortunate.
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Jul 17, 2007 at 9:55 pm
[…] There has been some discussion today concerning my last two blog posts, Do You Dare Lie? and Don’t Be Too Honest? […]
Jennifer
Jul 18, 2007 at 3:59 pm
When it comes to entering the job market and looking for a job there is no such thing as being too honest. What is that? On every application that i’ve ever filled out, you sign your name stating that everything you put was completely true to the best of your knowledge and that the company reserves the right to fire you if they find out you lied. why would you slightly lie? I’d personally be brutally honest.
Darlene McDaniel
Jul 18, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Jennifer- Thanks for visiting Interview Chatter. Almost every application has that clause about the truth of what has been written on the application. Unfortunately, people sign that application every day and lie about it. Hoping no one will look to closely or verify the information.
Gary
Jul 19, 2007 at 9:06 am
One of the main disadvantages of stretching the truth on our resume is that we will walk into the interview on shaky gound, anxious that we may have to convince the interviewer our false claims.
On the contrary, if we have been 100% honest on the resume, we will walk into the interview with a clear conscience and genuine confidence.
And what better selling point is there, then sincere confidence?
Darlene McDaniel
Jul 19, 2007 at 9:44 am
Hi Gary - Thanks for sharing your comment!! I appreciate your insight. CONFIDENCE is a huge advantage walking into an interview. When you lie or “stretch the truth”, it leaves you in a more cautious posture than if you know you have been truthful and you can dialog with confidence with your prospective employer. Thanks for visiting!
Mary Emma Allen
Jul 19, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Great article, Darlene. Too many people, in our country and our world, believe in stretching the truth to mean what they want…not what it really is. It’s great to see someone standing up for truth and honesty. When I read Penelope’s story about her brother, I’d say that the 10% increase in sales wasn’t necessarily a total result of his rearranging the displays. It might have helped, but unless it was proven by the store’s statistics, Penelope was stretching the truth in the resume.
Darlene McDaniel
Jul 19, 2007 at 7:48 pm
Hey Mary Emma - Thanks for the comment! I appreciate your comment. That is all I am saying at this point, but your point about the 10% increase in sales was one of the issues I had with the article. How do you quantify the 10% increase by moving the displays. I would love to know how he “justified” that when asked about it in the interview.
b5media - Summer Business
Jul 23, 2007 at 10:32 pm
[…] Is there such a thing as too honest? Well, some of us may think there is, but Darlene from Interview Chatter doesn’t. According to her, “There are not varying degrees. Either you are honest or you are not. Either you are telling the truth or you are not.” Find out why. […]
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Sep 15, 2007 at 10:45 pm
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Oct 12, 2007 at 8:06 am
[…] AM EST. I will be hosting my first Blog Talk Radio Show. My main topic will be: Do You Dare to Lie? Too Honest? Lying on your resume. If you need assistance with your next interview, if you have general […]
Petrov
Nov 15, 2007 at 2:54 pm
it is great!
Drew Williams
Nov 30, 2007 at 10:56 pm
All I can say to this it is not so clear cut. More often than not you’re filling out an electronic application and if you don’t enter the correct alpha/numeric field. Do you answer the question the way the form wants you to because there is no way to answer “open” for salary expectations? Explain it away in the interview with I really meant this but there was no way to enter on application? Take it as an automatic screen out and suffer the consequences. These days computers are reading both the resume and application and if you don’t have the right buzz word they are spit out. I don’t know about you but I don’t really consider it lying if I only interact with a computer and not a human being like am I going to offend it?
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