Honesty Really Is the Best Policy
Why do ethics in interviewing matter? Just as there are ethical standards in journalism, there are also ethical standards you need to follow during the interviewing process. Maintaining ethics in interviewing is actually quite important and the things you should avoid doing in order to get a job are, in many ways, standards of professional behavior.
First off, you should NEVER lie. Maybe this seems obvious, but people do it. You shouldn’t lie about experience you’ve had or things you’ve done to make yourself look better. This means being honest on your resume and in your interview. There is often an urge to “fudge” the facts, to change dates and lengthen periods of employment. Don’t do that. You should be able to get the right job by being honest about who you are and the experience you have.
The Dangers of Lying
Aside from the fact that lying is unethical, the big danger is getting caught in a lie. If you say you’ve done something on your resume that you have not actually done, you might pay for it during your interview. Chances are, you’re going to be nervous during interviews, therefore the last thing you need is to get caught off-guard by having to explain away something you mentioned in your resume. Bottom line is, you don’t want to get surprised by anything in an interview. If you’ve lied about, or significantly elaborated your experience, you’re not going to be well-prepared to talk comfortably, and at length, about it.
Why Ethics Matter in Media
In every facet of business, honesty matters. If you lie on Wall Street, you can go to jail for it. In the media world, dishonesty and lying are things that people particularly disrespect because the job requires that people -- readers and sources -- can trust you. And people who work in this business take that very seriously. In many ways, because people often go into media out of passion (as opposed to a desire to make a lot of money), the ethical standards that people hold themselves to are paramount.
It’s All About Reputation
During the interview process, as with your career at large, you’ll meet a lot of people and make a lot of impressions. You want all of them to be as positive as possible. The media industry isn’t that big so, chances are, you might interview with someone who you could work with (or want to work with) later on, even if you don’t get that initial job. If you give the impression that you’re a dishonest person, interviewers will remember it. Even worse, they might mention it to their colleagues and, suddenly, you’re starting to get a bad reputation before you’ve even gotten your foot in the door. So be honest and always put your best foot forward.