The Most Popular Lies Recruiters Hear Every Day (and Why You Should Avoid Them)

If you think you’ve heard it all, you’re either a therapist or a recruiter. (Of course,sometimes people treat their recruiters and HR people in general like therapists, but that’s another post.) The thing is, when much of your job is spent evaluating people and talking with them, you learn to spot lies pretty darn quick.

Some of these lies are little things, and don’t matter. “How are you today?” “Great!” Let’s face it–very few of us are actually great when we interview, as we’re nervous that we have spinach in our teeth or something worse.

Elizabeth Webster, senior staffing manager in WinterWyman Contract Staffing’s accounting, finance, and administrative division, was so kind as to let us into the types of lies recruiters hear every day of their lives.

1. The reason you left your previous role

This one comes up often. Being fired does not make you a bad candidate!It’s a difficult conversation to have, but it’s important to be truthful about the real reason you left your last role. Some of the brightest and most successful people in the world have been fired at some point in their careers. It is only debilitating to your job search if you lie about it. A proficient recruiter can help you figure out how to relay this information appropriately in an interview and present yourself in the best light. When you bend the truth, it creates anxiety and can negatively affect your performance. If you are open, you’ll be prepared for the reference checks and employment verifications, and the possibility the companies you are interviewing with may have someone in their network from your old company. I realize it can be scary to share this information with your recruiter, but the more we know, the better we can help you.

To keep reading, click here: The Most Popular Lies Recruiters Hear Every Day (and Why You Should Avoid Them)

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6 thoughts on “The Most Popular Lies Recruiters Hear Every Day (and Why You Should Avoid Them)

  1. Yea, Talk about lies! She tells a couple herself:

    “Saying no will not hurt our feelings or make us angry, and we will certainly not stop calling you on new positions.”

    Ha! Hardly. Say no, and they can and might just as easily consider you a “difficult” candidate and move on to someone else.

    “There is a job out there for everyone.”

    Really? Has she not looked at the unemployment situation lately? a job for EVERYONE?!

    “The fact is, what you were last earning does not always dictate what you will make in your next role.”

    Okay, she’s right in that what your last salary was should not dictate what you are worth. But, then why do so many hiring folks use that as a benchmark for what they are willing to pay you? She seems to be ignoring that huge elephant standing in the room.

    And why do so many recruiters, after you tell them your last salary, say: “okay, this position is paying the same.” That’s a coincidence that happens a lot; new position pay “exactly” the same as my last one!

    She also doesn’t seem to mention that, if it is a temp position, the company has already stated what they are willing to pay – so, the lower your salary the more her agency keeps!

    She should also do an article on the lies that recruiters and hiring managers tell job seekers.

    Such issues as during the interview phase they tell you it is only a 40-hour work week; but, then the first day on the job they tell you that you are expected to do unpaid overtime all the time. Hey, you’re exempt, so they think you should do 60 plus hours a week every week as it doesn’t cost them any extra dimes.

    Or it is a contract assignment that they say should be about 3-6 months and they have so little work they let you go after a month. They told you 3-6 months because when they were honest they found out that no one wanted the job lasting so short a time – so, they lied to attract more job seekers!

    They said the hours were flexible; but, what they really meant was flexible for THEM! You should be willing to change your schedule to meet their needs without advanced warning. Work life balance? Ha! You work for them – that’s all they care about. Your sister’s wedding this weekend? Nope, sorry, they have reports that “need” to be done so you “have to” work on Saturday.

    Sure, they COULD make more money by getting you a higher salary; but, they also know that getting you in the door is the only way they will make ANY money. So, it is better to get you in at a lower salary than allowing another agency to fill the position. Kinda left that out of the article, didn’t she?

    As for that organization “WinterWyman” – could I, as a male, expect equal treatment even though I am not a “wyman”? Or will I as a white male be treated less than equal for “past wrongs”? You know, someone has to pay for it!

    And they are extremely proud that over 90 percent of their workforce participates in company-sponsored community service activities – yea, well, just how do they get over 90 percent? Is it held against you if you do not “volunteer”? There is something very dishonest about forcing people to work for free and then take credit for “giving back” to the community.

    I AM honest. I just wish recruiters and hiring managers would be as well. But, I know not to hold my breath waiting for them to be so.

    1. That is a remarkably aggressive response…wouldn’t it have been more productive to simply state that you have found exceptions to these rules do exist – and that they are probably right for good recruiters, and bad ones are out there too?

    2. > As for that organization “WinterWyman” – could I, as a male, expect equal treatment even though I am not a “wyman”?

      I was curious about that spelling too, so I went to the company’s website. You should try that! Lots of pictures of very mixed-gender groups.

    3. You are thinking of “womyn” and “wymyn.” “Wyman” is not a feminist spelling, it is a last name (as in Bill Wyman, the bass player for The Rollins Stones).

  2. I hate the “skill set and information on your resume” one because I’ve always done higher level work than my job titles. I’m currently at in a lower level job title making a tad less than Directors do doing very complicated work, and sit across from someone who is 6 years younger than me and less experienced, but has a Director title because that’s just what they decided to call the job when he was hired. Pretty sad.

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