Honesty is always the best policy. This applies to everyday life as well as online life. Jeff Beadles, a recruiter at Cornerstone RPO, shares his thoughts and advice on staying honest in the workplace.
The best thing one can do for himself is to ensure that his social media accounts and resume match each other and are truthful. Stating on LinkedIn that you are the Senior Executive Officer of a company when you are actually a base level employee is not going to help you receive any future job offers. Jeff stated that it is always obvious when someone has lied on their LinkedIn account. “It is very unlikely to go straight from a base level employee to a Senior Executive Officer in just 6 months.” Additionally, do not create a “new” job title for your position at work. Use the job title given to you in your contract. Lying on a LinkedIn account or resume can forfeit future job offers.
When you are in the job interview it is again important to be honest. When the interviewer asks you to describe yourself, be honest about your personality and worth ethic. Do not offer information about your weaknesses unless they ask for it. If the interviewer does ask for a weakness, once again, be honest. Everybody has weaknesses so do not try stating that you are a perfect human.
Besides being honest in the interview, be a team player. As often as possible, try not to use I, me, or my. Describe your experiences as a member of the team, giving credit to your co-workers and using their names. This tells the interviewer that you are invested in other people and are not just concerned with your own wellbeing.
In conclusion, keep your resume and social media accounts updated and honest. Be a team player and you should be right on path towards landing a new job.
