Confession: I believe in lying.
But I only believe in lying when the absolute truth would hurt someone unnecessarily. My litmus test is, will this bit of truth help the person in any way, or is it too late to do anything and it will only hurt them? If it’s the latter, I’ll lie.
I don’t lie to everyone and I don’t lie very often. But I think people are too quick to air their truths to people, especially when they haven’t even been asked for their opinion. If a lie is essentially harmless, I see no problem with it, in general terms.
Here’s a symptom of what it’s like out there in the job market. Employment experts are now advising those looking for work to engage in harmless lying to get a leg up on the competition for a job. What they’re not talking about is claiming to have a degree you don’t have, or to have done a job you didn’t do. But it’s tough out there. You need every edge you can get. They’re advising things like lying about a previous boss. It doesn’t matter how chummy it seems in a job interview, it’s still an interview, and you’ll be judged harshly if you start criticizing your last supervisor. Find something positive about them and make it your mantra.
Lie about why you’re leaving your job. You’re most attractive to a potential employer when you’re not escaping something. Lie about your personal interests. Conforming that part of your resume to fit in with your intended company’s corporate culture is just smart, unless you say you’re an equestrian and you’ve never been on a horse, or something equally foolish. If the company has a big heart and its employees are involved in charitable events, say you are too. In fact, get involved. It’s good for everyone and then it won’t be a lie!
Show me someone who tells the truth every second of the day and I’ll show you someone who has a lot of trouble connecting with people. I think everyone lies to some degree. I’m just willing to admit it. And that’s the truth.