Interview Blunder: Exaggerating
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Interview Blunder: Exaggerating
When interviewing for a job, there may be some questions that you really can't answer off the top of your head. For example, if you are asked how many years total you have been a copy editor and you aren't absolutely sure, you may want to say so--or at least allude to the fact that you aren't certain. Boldly stating facts without knowing for sure could actually lose you the job, depending on the interviewer. In other words, don't tell someone you have been working in the field for ten years if you haven't--they can check.
In certain cases giving an approximation can help you out of this type of bind. When it comes to employment facts such as years with a particular company, dates of training or other key pieces of information, you'll naturally want to appear confident when someone asks you about them. If you aren't sure, however, you can always use words such as "about," "around," and "approximately" to give you a little room.
Another area where you shouldn't exaggerate is experience. Inflating responsibilities or trying to impress an interviewer by lying about your actual knowledge base is a mistake that can cost you. Although it may be tempting to try and win someone over, being forthright and straightforward assures that you don't have anything to worry about in the long run.
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| Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D. |
