Ask a Manager

A reader writes:

I’m a legal assistant and I went for an interview with a lawyer. The office is small and there’s only one lawyer. The thing is, I lied on my first interview. My last job was at a law office assisting one attorney. I said I left on maternity leave but the truth is I left because my ex boss did not paid well. I did not want to mention this issue which I know is not proper.

My worry is that in the interview, I was asked if he can contact my ex boss and I said yes. So now I really don’t know what my ex boss is going to say or if he will really call. I’m schedule for a second interview. Do you think they will tell me that I lied regarding my past employment? Or are they really interested in me? Please advise because I’m truly scared to show up for the second interview.

I doubt they know (yet) that you lied. They’re not likely to want to waste their time with an interview just so that they can confront you about a lie. However, they’re likely to find out about the lie if you do well in the second interview and they get to the point of calling references. A very common reference question is, “Why did she leave?” At that point, the discrepancy in your story is going to come out.

Obviously, you should never lie in an interview. Ever. It doesn’t matter if you think you have a good reason for it. It’s immediately disqualifying if the interviewer discovers it, because of what it says about your integrity. It’s odd that you felt it wouldn’t be proper to mention that you left your last job over money (a perfectly legitimately reason) but didn’t feel it would be improper to lie in an interview. I’d write this job off, learn from the experience, and move on.