SHOULD YOU LIE YOUR WAY TO THE TOP?

SHOULD YOU LIE TO GET A JOB?

If you ask any hiring manager, recruiter, or HR rep, they'll say you should NEVER lie in a job interview. But the reality is, most people have at least BENT the truth to get a job.

Here are five interview situations and how you should handle them . . .

1.) YOU'RE THREE CREDITS SHY OF GRADUATING. Tell the truth. Some employers ask to see your diploma, some don't. But it's not worth the risk. If you don't technically have a college degree, be honest. Some companies will help you pay for the classes you need to finish.

2.) YOU DON'T PLAN ON BEING THERE LONG-TERM. Keep it to yourself. If you come clean, there NO WAY you'll get the job. Plus, plenty of people have taken jobs they THOUGHT they'd only be in for a few months. But the JOB ended up becoming a CAREER.

3.) YOU WERE FIRED FROM YOUR LAST JOB. Don't worry. It doesn't have the same social stigma it used to. If the interviewer doesn't ask, you don't need to bring it up. But if he DOES, just explain your side of the story, and don't say more than you need to.

4.) YOU HAVE A RECORD. Most companies do background checks these days. So if you have a misdemeanor or a felony on your record, there's no use lying about it. You definitely shouldn't list it on your RESUME, but come clean if you're asked.

--If you just did something stupid in college, they'll probably understand.

5.) YOU KNOW YOUR FORMER BOSS WILL GIVE A BAD REFERENCE. First, see if there's a DIFFERENT reference you can use. Someone in your old HR department might be willing to do it. If not, prepare the interviewer for what he might hear.

--If you do, you'll have a better chance of actually landing the job. (CNN.com)