To Be Perfectly Honest for Your Next Interview

Recently we conducted a series of panel interviews for a mass communications position. The employer wanted a person who was technically savvy with experience in social media marketing. Often time’s job seekers highlight a “Computer Skills” section and camouflage their real skill set by listing Microsoft Office Suite on their resume. In addition, thanks to the “New Media” craze, applicants are more prone to sprinkle social networking buzz words around (Facebook, posts, Twitter, tweets) to attract employers.

When we asked the candidate to elaborate on which software program they were familiar with; they promptly answered all of them. Knowing that few people work with databases, I responded by asking the interviewee to share an example of when he had used Microsoft Access and how it affected his communications. Unfortunately, he responded with ….”Well to be perfectly honest…I do not have experience with Access.” To make matters worse he repeated this statement during the social media Follow/Friend assessment phase and throughout the rest of the interview.

Consequently, a “Red Flag” was raised and a dishonest tone overshadowed for his candidacy. With Resume Branding we consider your resume as “‘The First Interview”. Therefore, future contact interviews rest upon the information provided in the application process. Determining whether a talented professional will become a good match for an employer’s corporate culture is essential in today’s job market. Many hiring managers have elevated their level of interview questions to determine a candidate’s behavioral patterns.

However, the ball starts in the job seekers court when they tailor their resume to suit the needs of potential employers. Therefore over embellishing is not a job strategy to hang your hat on. Be truthful on your resume. Appropriate honesty is the best course of action to use when focusing on transferable skill sets, accomplishments and overall career potential. If you find it challenging to be honest, then reevaluate whether it is best to apply to the job in question. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Brand your resume based on polished truths and set yourself up for future employment.