TLDR, No.
Interviews are a chance to show why you are the best candidate for the job and you could be forgiven for ‘overselling yourself.’
I mean, you’ve found this amazing company, with a great manager and it’s the role you’ve been looking for. You want to do everything you possibly can to get the job, right? Even if that means bending the truth a little?
I want to give you more to take away than just the normal “No, of course you shouldn’t lie.” Let’s face it, I’m sure plenty of interviewers’ out there are guilty of glossing over facts themselves when they say things like “We never work past 5pm” or “There’s nothing I don’t like about working here!”
So here’s what I’d say. Going back to the dating analogy I like to use, of course you need to sell yourself. You want to show your best side. Make sure you highlight anything that will make you stand out. If there’s a specific project you’ve done in the past that you know will impress the interviewer, then bring it up organically in the conversation.
The last thing you want to do though, is get the job off the back of a few little ‘white lies’ told in the interview – and during your first few weeks it turns out you’re actually not that great with Excel or you absolutely have know idea what Paid Marketing is.
This is not even mentioning the hassle of trying to remember what details you’ve lied about!
This is guaranteed to leave a sour taste in your managers’ mouth and will have them thinking what else could you have lied about. Imagine actually securing your dream job but then not making it past the probationary period?
If you want to take it that step further, here’s what to do.
Once you’ve decided what role it is you’re going for, get a bunch of job descriptions from a range of businesses. Go through them and identify the common requirements. Better yet, find someone who actually does the role right now and ask them. Once you’ve done this, identify some projects you could do right now in your current role or in your own time that will really help sell yourself in the interview.
It seems like the long way around right now. But, trust me. It’s better than getting that dream job and having a severe case of imposter syndrome from day one!
I hope that helped.
Thoughts/feedback/questions welcome.
Ash
Asheraf Joseph 