Truth or Fiction?
Recently I’ve encountered a rash of applicants for various management positions who have been less than truthful on their résumés and employment applications. In some cases, their stated accomplishments have proven to be bold-faced lies. This has come up so often that it suddenly feels like an epidemic problem, although I certainly hope it is not. Evidently this phenomenon is not unique to this business; I read in the newspaper last weekend that a local mayoral candidate has claimed a degree from a university that he never attended. Really?
Where we’ve been, what we’ve done, the education we received and the jobs we’ve held should be a matter of factual record. They aren’t the things about us that matter most, however, except to the extent they provide the context for career accomplishments. The truth of those things provides a foundation for talking about experience gained, lessons learned and worthwhile achievements along the way.
If someone is willing to falsify the basic facts of where they have been and what they have done, is it reasonable to expect anyone to believe their stated capabilities and accomplishments? The flawed thought process of such individuals defies logic. I’ve never hired someone solely based upon their background, but I certainly have decided not to hire based upon misrepresentations.
Over time, our work becomes our résumé. We all leave a verifiable trail behind us. That trail either affirms, or denies, what we aspire to accomplish next. When it is clear and easily followed, so is the path forward; when it is obscured or brushed over, it raises questions about direction and intentions.
The other troubling thing about such misrepresentations, if blindly believed by others, is that they attempt to diminish the accomplishments of those who actually did the work. It’s like when someone jumps into the last mile of the Boston Marathon and pretends that he or she ran the entire race. Their pretend performance is a work of fiction.
The good news here is that pretenses are easily seen through by those who wisely take the time to verify background and experience. As time has gone by, I’ve come to fully appreciate the wisdom of President Ronald Reagan’s words when he said: “Trust but Verify.”
Honesty and integrity are our most prized possessions. A business is nothing more or less than the integrity of the people it hires.
Where we’ve been, what we’ve done, the education we received and the jobs we’ve held should be a matter of factual record. They aren’t the things about us that matter most, however, except to the extent they provide the context for career accomplishments. The truth of those things provides a foundation for talking about experience gained, lessons learned and worthwhile achievements along the way.
If someone is willing to falsify the basic facts of where they have been and what they have done, is it reasonable to expect anyone to believe their stated capabilities and accomplishments? The flawed thought process of such individuals defies logic. I’ve never hired someone solely based upon their background, but I certainly have decided not to hire based upon misrepresentations.
Over time, our work becomes our résumé. We all leave a verifiable trail behind us. That trail either affirms, or denies, what we aspire to accomplish next. When it is clear and easily followed, so is the path forward; when it is obscured or brushed over, it raises questions about direction and intentions.
The other troubling thing about such misrepresentations, if blindly believed by others, is that they attempt to diminish the accomplishments of those who actually did the work. It’s like when someone jumps into the last mile of the Boston Marathon and pretends that he or she ran the entire race. Their pretend performance is a work of fiction.
The good news here is that pretenses are easily seen through by those who wisely take the time to verify background and experience. As time has gone by, I’ve come to fully appreciate the wisdom of President Ronald Reagan’s words when he said: “Trust but Verify.”
Honesty and integrity are our most prized possessions. A business is nothing more or less than the integrity of the people it hires.
4 Comments
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Grant hawkins
10 years agoAMEN
Laure Hristov
10 years agoI have always believed the #1 key to success is Integrity! Sad that we can’t take everyone by their word. Trust but verify, great rules to live by.
Coach
10 years agoWithout integrity, we have nothing. I am a big fan of Trust but verify. Well done Bill……………
Brian
10 years agoDefinitely an unsettling trend. And unfortunately, it is a trend as I’ve lost numerous hours recently with candidates that weren’t honest regarding their achievements. I would understand this (sort of) if we were in a down economy and people were desperate for work, but the economy seems to be pretty strong and many of the folks in question are gainfully employed. I hope this is a short trend. I am thankful to have controls in place to avoid bigger problems and issues down the road if we had hired someone that was dishonest about something so important, and something so easy to verify.