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Jessica Brown
Jun 24, 2017
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Shutterstock / baranq
Alongside a good night’s sleep and a freshly ironed shirt, there’s one more thing you need at your next job interview: honesty.
Researchers from University College London have found that people who bring up their flaws in job interviews are more likely to be successful, because it makes them stand out from the competition.
They analysed 2,000 people applying for jobs, and found that honesty was five times more likely to land lawyers a job, and 22 per cent more likely to put teachers in a better light, too.
In one of their studies, the researchers found that teachers who had a strong urge to be honest about their strengths and weaknesses were rated as having a 73 per cent chance of getting the placement they wanted, compared to the average 51 per cent. For lawyers, their chances of securing their desired job increased from three to 17 per cent if they had a strong drive to tell the truth about themselves.
And in comparison, candidates who tried to portray a perfect version of themselves came across as inauthentic.
Those who used words such as "think," "sense," and "feel" were found to come across like they knew themselves better, and using words like "see," and "look" made employers more likely to believe the candidate wasn't hiding any of their flaws.