Summary

The article discusses the prevalence of dishonesty in job applications, where applicants often exaggerate their skills and experience to meet unrealistic employer expectations, and suggests a need for more honesty and individuality in the hiring process.

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on the experience of reviewing job applications for a junior position and expresses disappointment over the lack of genuine, inexperienced candidates willing to learn. Instead, the applications are filled with generic and inflated claims of expertise and skills. The author argues that this trend is a response to employers' demands for candidates with "expert-level" qualifications, even for entry-level positions. The article calls for job applicants to be more honest and creative in their self-presentation, and for employers to value diversity of experience and genuine potential over self-proclaimed expertise. The author emphasizes the importance of hiring people who are modest, self-aware, and committed to lifelong learning, rather than those who claim expertise without substantial experience.

Opinions

The author believes that the current state of job applications is problematic, with applicants feeling compelled to lie to meet employer expectations.
There is a critique of the hiring process that favors candidates who present themselves as experts, even for junior positions, which the author finds unrealistic and counterproductive.
The article suggests that the proliferation of self-proclaimed experts is creating a work environment that stifles genuine learning and growth.
Employers are encouraged to be more imaginative and less credulous when assessing the exaggerated claims in job applications.
The author advocates for a hiring approach that values individuality, honesty, and a willingness to learn over inflated resumes.
The author posits that a shift towards honesty in job applications would lead to more fulfilling careers and a more effective workforce.
There is a call for a broader societal change where people are more modest and have a realistic understanding of their abilities and potential.

Should Job Applicants Stop Lying about Themselves?

The real question is: when will the world stop listening?

The HR department sent me a batch of job applications to review. “Could you let us know your top-5?”

It was a thankless task. But they kindly created one file with more than a hundred documents to make it easy for me. Letters. Recommendations. CVs.

We are looking for a junior position — with little to no experience. It’s good that the company wants to hire young talent. I have always argued that straight out of college is an advantage in our transforming world. A fresh pair of eyes. Modern communication style. A different voice in the room.

But reading through the applications confused me. “Was my assumption wrong?”

I didn’t find the CVs of inexperienced but eager and hungry applicants who wanted to learn and help the organization remain relevant. Instead, I got a depressing list of generic, meaningless terms. Strong. Hardworking. Loyal. Team player.

When have we started to speak — or think — like this? It feels like some zombie horror movie from the 1950s in which everyone has been hypnotized into speaking some creepy new language.

What made going through the applications worse was that most of the junior applicants already pretended that they were real experts. Impressive analytical abilities. Excellent communication skills. Expert-level work experience. Advanced knowledge of their field of expertise.

Disappointed, I decided to discuss my conclusions with one of my colleagues. But unfortunately, he was already hypnotized and started the conversation before I could say anything.

“Did you see all the excellent applicants?” he said cheerfully. “An embarrassment of riches.” Then, he quizzed me on the applicants he wanted to invite for an interview.

“Ah, yes. Candidate 37. An excellent prospect. Impressive analytical skills.”

I was doing it too. It was so … easy. Although it left me feeling weird afterwards.

I realized that my plea for looking for the honest applicants — who showed an open mind and willingness to learn — would never land. Only college graduates with “tons of experience” and “expert-level knowledge and skills” stood a chance.

Sure, the applicants that exaggerated have done the right thing.

If you want to get invited for an interview, you must look strong on paper (outstanding school and grades, excellent references, exceptional skills, experience, and expertise).

The system forces them to lie because that is what the employers demand. Is this the world we have created? A world of language zombies and lying to please others.

No More Lies (and Self-Proclaimed Experts)!

The job applicants should realize that catering to someone else’s expectations may work in the short term, but it will eventually catch up with them. As soon as they really believe they are experts, their regular jobs will become very boring very soon.

That doesn’t mean they have to be brutally honest. They can still reveal the truth of themselves via fabrication and imagination. But in more personal and inventive ways that reveal their individuality. Not generic lies, but something more unique and closer to the truth.

And on the demand-side, employers need to realize that organizations are better served with a diversity of experience. A top-heavy organization full of self-proclaimed “experts” will not work.

They need to be less naïve in the sense that they don’t take silly claims at face value. And more imaginative in the sense that having recognized the “facts” as lies, they don’t regard them as a deception but the revelation of true character.

Will the World Ever Change?

Experts are everywhere. You cannot escape them.

Turn on the television or radio, and it will not take long before you hear experts talk about whatever is today’s crisis — and we have plenty these days. Experts’ views dominate sports games, concerts, and other events.

It could be me, but I find it more and more challenging to listen to them stating the obvious. Does the world need all these so-called experts who love to hear themselves talk? Life seems less complicated without them.

What the world needs instead are more people who are modest, actualized human beings. We need more people who have a better understanding of their real potential. People who understand themselves and don’t have a vague opinion about others and the world around them. People who are life-long learners and don’t consider themselves experts without substantial real-life experience — “experts” who haven’t worked through some difficulties themselves.

Those are the kind of people that can make a difference in the world.

It’s time to make life more honest and less complicated. But not the honesty of accountants. Not the truth of accountants — who are concerned with the accuracy of mundane facts — but a more profound truth that captures something important about a person and who they really are.