Don't lie in interviews

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's concerns about the normalization of lying in job interviews, as seen in a Reddit thread they encountered. The author strongly condemns the idea of lying as a deliberate strategy, arguing that it will ultimately lead to a world where everyone lies and integrity is lost. The author also provides advice on maintaining low fixed expenses to be able to walk away from jobs that go against one's values.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Don't lie in interviews

1. What are the author's main concerns about the normalization of lying in job interviews?

• The author is disturbed by a Reddit thread they read where people were openly discussing strategies for lying in job interviews, and the author wants to "exorcise this demon" and return to a belief that most people are honest most of the time.
• The author strongly condemns the idea of lying as a deliberate strategy, arguing that it will lead to a world where everyone lies and integrity is lost. The author believes that people who value integrity won't work with you if you lie.

2. What is the author's advice for being able to act with integrity in the workplace?

• The author advises that if you want to be the kind of person who can walk away from a job when asked to do something that doesn't fit your values, you need to save money and maintain low fixed expenses. This will prepare you to be able to make the decision that you feel is right.

3. What is the author's view on the "it's okay to lie if I've been lied to" mentality?

• The author strongly disagrees with this mentality, arguing that if this becomes the model, "we're all knee deep in bullshit forever and can never escape Transaction Cost Hell." The author believes this will just lead to a never-ending cycle of lies.

[02] Maintaining Integrity

1. What is the author's perspective on the difficulty of acting with integrity?

• The author acknowledges that it's not easy or fair to always act with integrity, and they don't mean to adopt a rigid definition of "lie" that stops normal human social interactions. However, the author believes that deliberately lying as a strategy will ultimately harm you.

2. How does the author suggest preparing to be able to act with integrity?

• The author advises that acting with integrity is mostly about the decisions you make leading up to a difficult moment, such as saving money and maintaining low fixed expenses. This will prepare you to be able to make the decision that you feel is right, even if it means walking away from a job.