Recruitment expert reveals the one question people should consider lying about during job interviews
She says this is the most important moment to lie during interviews, but not everyone online agrees with her.
When it comes to job hunting, there are many intricate tricks and subtleties that people should know of. Being completely honest, in particular, may not be the best way to crack an interview. An interview question may seem simple, but one has to consider the interviewer's true intentions behind asking it. So, to every job seeker's rescue, career influencer Anna Papalia–who goes by @anna..papalia on TikTok–has offered a very valuable tip. The interview expert revealed the one question in job interviews to which interviewees may want to respond with a lie and it's thought-provoking.
In the video posted this June, Papalia says there is only one perfect answer to the questions, "Are you actively interviewing?" and "Are you interviewing anywhere else?" One might think that it is best to tell the truth about whether they are ardently interviewing with other companies or not but Papalia disagrees. It turns out that this question is so important that it can decide one's success or failure in an interview. The crucial part is that you may have to deceive the interviewers with a lie for this one. So, the right answer is, "Yes, I am actively interviewing."
Papalia wants job seekers to remember that the less they want the job, the more the recruiter wants them. "If in a job interview, you act as though you're desperate and you need this job and you want this position, it's going to pull them back a little bit," the expert warns. She reasons that it is just "human" behavior to "want what we can't have." She also adds that when the recruiter asks where the interviewee is "actively interviewing," the reply must be, "I would prefer to keep that confidential." If the interviewee is truly getting several offers and interview opportunities with other companies, then it's fine to reveal the company names. Otherwise, it stays "confidential."
The career influencer explains why it is vital to lie. "Everyone likes a sense of competition and scarcity and job interviews are no exception," she mentions. In the video's caption, Papalia adds, "They rarely ask this question of candidates they don't want to hire. And if you are too eager or tell them, 'No. This is the only job I want.' It will make them second guess hiring you and they won't be as interested. If you want to maintain their interest, you need to be seen as a hot commodity. Everyone wants to hire you." Being desirable and less available would also come in handy during a salary negotiation, where one can demand higher pay, as per the expert.
The video went viral with over nine million views in a couple of months and not many found it agreeable. "As a recruiter, I couldn't disagree with this more. If a candidate told me that, I'd assume they weren't interested in my job and I'd find someone else," said @courtney.in.the.kitchen. "Have hired dozens of people over the years. If a candidate appears lukewarm about a position, that’s a red flag," chimed in @emilio_guerra_nyc. "From my experience, not always. It can be interpreted as a lack of interest or motivation. Employers might think you're not genuinely invested in the role," added @layyommgdm0.
For others, Papalia's method seemed acceptable. "It's true. I got my last job this way, told them I had interviewed elsewhere earlier in the week and I got an offer a week later," said @nkd_molerat. "The answer is yes and name their competitors," chimed in @dianamunoz33. "100% I've done this myself. Almost always get the job usually within five days," added @alise2653.
@anna..papalia Are you really lying if you tell them that you’re actively interviewing? Here’s the thing, we want what we can’t have, and job interviews are no different. When the recruiter or hiring manager asks you, “Are you interviewing anywhere else?” that is a buy a sign that they are interested in you. They rarely ask this question of candidates they don’t want to hire. And if you are too eager or tell them, “No. This is the only job I want.” It will make them second guess hiring you and they won’t be as interested. If you want to maintain their interest, you need to be seen as a hot commodity. Everyone wants to hire you. There is only one right answer to this question, “I am actively interviewing” If you’re in final rounds with another company or multiple companies, you should let that be known in the interview process. Because the principle of scarcity applies. The less your skill set is available the higher the salary you can demand. If your skill set is readily available and there are 50 candidates that can also do the job you won’t be able to command as much money. Pro-tip, have a skill set that is unique and desirable if you want to get the best offer and whatever you do keep all your options open until you sign that offer letter. #howtoanswerinterviewquestions #jobinterview #confidence #career #corporate #howtonegotiate ♬ original sound - Anna Papalia
You can follow Anna Papalia (@anna..papalia) on TikTok for more interview tips.
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