Lying in the context of personnel selection

The current economic crisis in Europe is an unfortunate reality, and job opportunities for those wishing to apply for a new job are often slim: the disparity between supply and demand is disproportionate, and those currently looking for a new job have a lot of competition. From the point of view of the employer who has the opportunity to invest in new human resources, the role of the selection interview plays a crucial role: the manager must be able to invest in the right person, identifying the best professional for the proposed task.

Who puts himself forward for a job, lies about his CV and his real skills? Of course they do!

Sometimes such lies may be mere exaggerations, often compensated for by the worker quickly adapting to the new job. But very often this is not the case, and the incorrect and fraudulent professional may indeed turn out to be unsuitable for the job, and his incompetence may result in enormous damage to the company in terms of wasted time invested and money given, as well as affecting the lives of other potential candidates, unfairly discarded during the initial selection process (who may be much more professionally competent than he is).

They may be the only ones who are able to make the right choice.

The ability of HR (whoever is in charge of selection, recruiting, training, organisation, talent management and development) is crucial: whoever carries out the task of personnel selection must be able to make the best possible choice when assessing a new candidate.

What are the main lies used by job interviewers? An examination carried out by EIA (Emotional Intelligence Academy), extrapolated from research carried out in the UK, highlights these findings. A quarter of job interviewees lie when writing their CV. The most common distortions or omissions are those concerning:

• the salary previously received (23%)

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• the level of previous experience (14%)

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• the actual educational qualification (13%)

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• dates and duration of previous duties (10%)
• the recognised professional title (9%)

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These exaggerations or omissions have been increasing exponentially in recent years, due to the crisis, which requires candidates to distinguish themselves and stand out in an increasingly competitive and selective market. But as mentioned, what distinguishes fraudulent behaviour, which can potentially damage the company, and a lie told to make one’s CV and professional image more attractive, is really subtle. Those who sell themselves well are certainly at an advantage, but are not necessarily also reliable in the long run in terms of performance and professionalism. It is therefore necessary to analyse the candidate’s credibility very carefully.

In the field of HR, a careful evaluation of the candidate’s historical and professional background is often carried out. Sometimes, however, this type of assessment is misled by the very presentation made by the prospective employee being examined, who, out of social desirability, seeks to make himself look good in the eyes of the other. This type of assessment can also be prone to subjective bias, perhaps linked to the observer’s expectation of the observed candidate, and this has a noticeable effect on the objectivity of the whole.

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It is therefore vitally important to carry out a behavioural assessment, since it is more objective: using a structured, rigorous, valid and reliable method for evaluating the interlocutor, especially in a delicate context such as personnel selection, can be useful and effective. Indeed, it is important to remember that:

“[…] companies often hire for skills…. but then dismiss for behaviour!”

Diego Ingrassia