How to spot a liar at interview ñ it could even be the boss!

According to recruitment expert Kelly Services, the first quarter of the year is a bumper time for people looking to kick-start their career or move up the corporate ladder by looking for a new job.

Employers will receive thousands of CVs and application forms during the first few months of 2007. But with so many people keen to undertake a new challenge, just how easy is it for employers to spot the genuine candidates from the fakers? And how are interviewees to know they are not being lied to in return?

And is it worth lying? Not according to Steve Girdler, Director of Sales and Marketing at Kelly Services, who advises: ìItís pointless landing a job you canít do and therefore, wonít be able to keep. Likewise, an employer will not want to have to dismiss someone they have only recently employed, and then have to go through the whole recruitment process again. Itís better by far to secure a job you can excel at, then get promoted; or as the employer to take on someone who will genuinely strengthen the team.

ìBy all means emphasise strengths and play down weaknesses, but there is a point at which a rosy view tips over into a lie ñ and that doesnít usually help anyone in the long term.î

So, how can you spot a liar at interview? Here are a few telltale signs:

Signs of deception
According to behavioural psychologist and body language expert David J. Lieberman, PhD, a liar will make limited arm and hand movements ñ and those that they do make will be toward their own body. A person who is lying to you will also avoid making eye contact. Plus, their gestures and expressions will not match what they are saying ñ e.g. saying ìI am happy to work as part of a teamî while frowning would indicate a lie, and should set alarm bells ringing! Equally, ìthe bonuses here are generous,î ought to be delivered with a smile, if itís true.

Expressions are limited to mouth movements when someone is faking emotions (such as happy, surprised or sad) instead of the whole face. For example, when someone smiles naturally, their whole face is involved: there is jaw and cheek movement, eyes and forehead push down, etc. Of course, such a lack of facial expression might be down to botox ñ this isnít an exact science.

Eye movement
The direction a person looks in can be a useful indication of whether or not they are making a truthful statement, according to eye movement experts Richard Brandler and John Grinder. When asked a question, a ënormally organisedí right-handed person looks (from your point of view, looking at them) up and to the left when creating an image in their mind, and to the right and up when actually remembering an image. A glance to the left indicates creating a sound, while looking to the right is a sign of remembering an actual audio.

Consequently, for example, the interviewee asked: ìare you a team player?î a response of ìI work well as part of a teamî while looking to the left would indicate a made up answer, as their eyes are showing a ëconstructedí image or sound. Looking to the right would indicate a ërememberedí voice or image ñ in this case, examples of good teamwork ñ which would suggest that the candidate was telling the truth.

Honesty is the best policyÖ
Itís often said that lies will come back to haunt you, and they certainly did for one candidate taken on by Colchester-based Quay West Communications. This would-be PR consultant had claimed to have a law degree ñ both on his CV and when challenged later ñ but turned out to have no such qualification. ìHe had put in such a poor performance, and was still on probation when he finally made the admission, so I had no hesitation in inviting him to leave,î says MD Sharon Morrison. ìHe had the audacity to come into work the following Monday thinking I would have ìthought better of itî over the weekend. I had to give him full marks for nerve, but sadly, nothing else.î

Candidates may be tempted to embellish the truth, both on their CV and during an interview, in a desperate attempt to get the job of their dreams. However, it should also be noted that interviewers themselves might not be as squeaky clean as their appearance suggests. All those promises of a company car, loyalty bonus and company perks could turn out to be bait to get a vacancy filled, with the successful candidate being rewarded with unpaid overtime, disillusioned colleagues and management excuses.

Girdler adds: ìAlthough itís tempting, donít lie. Itís one thing to gloss over past mistakes you donít want to dwell on and concentrate on triumphs and successes, but outright lies will always be discovered later ñ remember: you are not as good a liar as you think you are.

ìThere are obviously a variety of expert views on whether someone is lying or not, but you shouldnít rely on these findings alone. Nothing beats a decent in-depth interview when it comes to finding out about a candidateís skills and experience. This is where the expertise of an established recruitment organisation like Kelly Services is invaluable.î