Yes, I said stupid. The most obvious offense being lying about your past job experience. According to the career management and job search website Vault.com, 23% of all people looking for work have admitted to telling fibs during their job interviews.

Turns out there’s no need to avoid the truth, because when polled nearly all human resources administrators felt lying in a job interview counted against you more than lack of experience. Employers place integrity at the top of their qualifications list, so if you’re caught in a lie before you’re even hired, your chances of getting hired are pretty slim. And since most companies use the Web to vet their candidates, it’s extremely hard to get away with a lie.

So to ensure your interview is squeaky clean in terms of honesty, here are the four most common job interview lies you should avoid at all costs (no matter how uneventful the truth may seem):

Lying About Your Previous Salary

Okay, so you think you should’ve been paid more at your last job. Who doesn’t? After all, isn’t that a big part of why you’re looking for new employment in the first place? Instead of making up some random salary that is easily refuted by a simple fact check, be honest and tell your interviewer how much you made, but then add something like, “However, I feel given my experience, workload and productivity I should’ve been making more.” If your interviewer asks why, give specifics. This allows you to highlight your skill set AND justify why you should be given top dollar if hired.

Lying About your Previous Position and Job Duties

This is one where an exaggeration could wind up being a boldfaced lie. For example, if you were a project manager at your previous job, that doesn’t necessarily mean all the people who worked on that project worked for you.

On the flip side of that same coin, don’t take credit for an entire project on which many people participated. Lying about your previous job duties can get you into hot water when it comes time to prove yourself. Instead, give credit where credit is due. This shows you’re not insecure about shining light on the people who make you look good (which is a trait potential employers look for in candidates).

Lying About Your Previous Boss

Okay, just because you worked for Microsoft, do you really think we’re going to believe you worked directly for Bill Gates? We’ll be hard pressed to believe you even saw the guy in the company lunchroom. Whatever industry you work in, trust me, it’s a small world. People know people who know people, and before you even get to your car after your interview, all the namedropping you did in your interview will be verified. And if someone you claim to be chummy with says they’ve never heard of you, then your credibility (as well as your new job) goes out the window.

If your interviewer asks if you know a specific person from your previous company, and you have no idea who they’re talking about, then just say so. You won’t be penalized for not knowing someone. Also, don’t claim to have worked for someone if there were one or more levels of middle management between you and that guy. That’s like saying your grandmother raised you even though your parents did all the work.

Lying About Your Previous Term of Employment

Hey, we all have calendars and we all know how to use them. It’s really easy for an interviewer to check exactly how long you worked somewhere simply by doing a People Search on Yahoo. Yes, all that information is recorded out there in cyberspace and no matter how hard you try, it’s nearly impossible to change it. So rather than be put in the position of back peddling when an interviewer calls you to explain a discrepancy, just tell him how long you worked at your previous job to begin with. If it was a short tenure, explain why. And if you really don’t want to talk about it, leave it off your resume. But be prepared to come clean if your interviewer should ask you about it anyway.

So what about you? Do you think there’s ever a time when it’s okay to lie during the interview process? If so, we’d love you to share your views. Also, what’s the most creative (or incredible) lie you’ve ever heard about with regards to a job interview? Post a comment and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you!

Okay, so you’re in a job interview and for some reason the stars aren’t exactly aligning between you and your (hopefully soon) boss-to-be. No matter how much charm you exude, or how articulately you answer questions, your interviewer still looks at you like you’re an organ grinder’s monkey trying to dance with the Rockettes.

With the recession officially over, yet unemployment still around 9%, businesses aren’t laying off employees as fast as they were (so say the economists), but they’re not exactly being quick to rehire, either. So who knows when you’ll get another opportunity to dazzle a prospective employer with your wit and knowledge? Therefore, if you’re in an interview, and it’s crumbling faster than cold toast, you need to shift into damage control—quickly!

1. Turn It Up

First off, don’t automatically blame yourself if your interview starts circling the drain. Quite often an interview goes bad because the interviewer hasn’t a clue what to do. If your interviewer babbles aimlessly like a DJ with Tourettes (or worse yet, just sits there like a wart on a toad) help him get into the groove by asking about the specific experience requirements and duties for the job. Once all that comes out then you can turn it up a notch by relating your own experience and capabilities to those of the job you’re applying for. Don’t forget to preface your statements with things like, “Well then, I’m certainly the person you’re looking for because in my last job I…” If you’re lucky you’ll get a positive dialogue going, making your interviewer actually look articulate.

2. Talk It Up

Another reason interviews can go bad is because the interviewer doesn’t read your resume ahead of time. This happens due to a number of reasons, namely, the interviewer ran out of time, lost your resume, or was assigned to do your interview moments before you came in. Regardless, if it appears your interviewer doesn’t know why the heck he’s speaking with you in the first place, be prepared to fill in the dead air by talking up the strongest qualification listed on your resume. In other words, if you could tout just one thing to sell yourself, what would it be? Figure that out ahead of time and then be ready to pull it out of your pocket if it looks like your interview is going south because your interviewer didn’t do his homework before you came in.

3. Study Up

And speaking of homework, you also need to do yours. Every company has a website. Make sure you study it before your interview. Know things like when the company was started, who started it, their flagship products and services, the size of the company (in terms of staff), what the company’s known for, and their annual revenue (if it’s posted). Having this information in your arsenal of knowledge not only looks impressive (because you can carry on an intelligent conversation about the company), it also allows you to ask smart questions if it appears the conversation is starting to lag.

4. Suck It Up

Sometimes you’ll encounter a grumpy interviewer who isn’t going to like you no matter what. Could be that the position you’re interviewing for replaces his best friend (who was fired). Or maybe the interviewer is worried about his own job and thus feels threatened by interviewing potential new employees. (Or maybe the guy is just a jerk, plain and simple.) Whatever the reason, if the interview turns adversarial DON’T FIGHT BACK. You don’t want to burn any bridges, especially in small industries where bad news travels fast. (And really, isn’t that all of them?) Just turn the other cheek, suck it up, and be as cordial as you can. Afterward call an emergency happy hour with your friends so they can mend your ego by insisting how wonderful you really are.

5. Kiss Up (er, I mean Follow Up)

Regardless of how the interview goes, always follow up with a letter or email. Thank your interviewer for their time and reiterate how you’d be perfect for the job, listing all the reasons why. But whatever you do, DON’T apologize for anything you said during the interview. You may think you looked like a goober when you accidentally used the word “antidote” when you meant “anecdote” but trust me they’re not going to hold it against you, even if they remember your faux pas at all. Apologizing only makes you look insecure. And nobody wants to swap stories around the water cooler with someone who appears to be afraid of their own shadow.

The bottom line is this: If an interview is going badly, it’s probably because there’s a lot of uncomfortable silence going on. It’s up to the interviewer to start the volley of conversation but if he’s not holding up his end, then it’s up to you to save the day. Don’t be afraid to try. It could mean the difference between a new job and several more months of collecting unemployment.

Here are ten of the most commonly-asked job interview questions. Don’t be surprised if they come up in your next interview.

1. “Tell me about yourself.” This is the ice breaker. First of all, it is important that your answer doesn’t sound rehearsed. Your answer should be genuine and honest as well as short and sweet. Don’t talk endlessly about every detail of your life — that’s not what potential employers want to know. Focus on your education, work history, recent career experience and any hobbies or accomplishments that reflect a strong character. Even though it’s an ice-breaker question, it should still be selling you as a candidate.

2. “Why did you leave your last job?” With this question, it is crucial to be brief, honest, and, most importantly, positive. If you left by choice, don’t talk badly or put blame on others. You’ll only make yourself look bad. Instead say you left for a better opportunity. If you were fired, be honest about the reasons and assure the interviewer that the mistakes — if any — will not happen again. Being honest about the circumstance shows your interviewer that you have confidence in yourself.

3. “What do you know about this company?” You should expect this question at every interview. This is why you should always do some research on the company before the interview. Find out where they have been and where they are going. What are the current issues and who are the major players? This shows the interviewer that you are actually interested in the company and being employed by them.

4. “Why do you want to work for this company?” Again, make sure you’ve done your homework and base your response on the knowledge you’ve acquired. For instance, you could say that you’re interested in the kind of business with which the company is involved, or that you like the benefits the company offers. Better yet, try to relate your answer to your personal interests or career goals.

5. “Why should we hire you?” This is a softball pitch — an easy opportunity to show your strengths — so hit it out of the park. Try to sound confident without sounding cocky. Create your answer by thinking in terms of your abilities and experience. Point out specific ways in which your assets as a candidate will benefit the company.

6. “How long do you plan on staying with the company if you’re hired?” Technically, employers are not supposed to ask this question; still, sometimes it finds its way into the conversation. If it does, steer clear of specific answers; being too specific could be potentially dangerous. You could be making promises you can’t — or don’t want to — keep. That being said, try not to sound too vague. Try something along the lines of “I’d like it to be a long time, or as long as we both feel I am doing a good job.”

7. “Are you willing to work overtime?” You’re on your own here — but be prepared for the question. It’s to your advantage to be honest up front in setting the terms of employment; however, keep in mind that the more flexible you are, the more likely you’ll get the job. If nothing else, let your interviewer know that while you have preferences or special circumstances, you are willing to be flexible.

8. “What do you feel this position should pay?” A loaded and a delicate question. The best way to have success with this question is to not answer it directly. A good tactic is to counter with something like, “That’s a tough question … Can you tell me the range for this position?” In most cases, the interviewer, taken off guard, will tell you. Of course, a better approach would be to do your homework. Find the average salary for the position you’re applying for and answer, “I understand that the range for this job is between $____ and $____. That seems appropriate for the job as I understand it.” Either way, make sure you communicate that while the money is important; getting the job is first priority.

9. “What is your philosophy/attitude towards work?” If you get this question, be advised that the interviewer is not looking for a soliloquy. Ask yourself: “Do I have strong feelings about how work should be done?” If so, answer accordingly. If not, keep it short and positive, always showing concern for the good of the organization.

10. “Do you have any questions for me?” This is one of the most neglected and overlooked questions of the interview. In fact, many applicants treat it as a “throwaway.” Instead, come with some prepared questions, such as: “How can I be an asset to the organization? How soon will I be able to be productive? What type of projects will I be involved with?” Remember that a keen or insightful question on your part will tell the employer as much about you as your answers.

To conclude, let me observe that the key to most of these questions is doing your homework. The fact is that you can compensate for lack of experience or education, even getting fired, by having a well-rehearsed and well-delivered response to the questions above. Still, remember that even the best answers will have no credibility whatsoever unless you are completely honest and sincere with yourself and with your interviewer. And while I can’t promise you’ll get every job using these tips, I can promise a more successful interview and a fighting chance even with jobs you have no business applying for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kari Whitaker is a technical as well as creative writer. In addition to articles on education and careers, she also enjoys writing short stories, essays, and poetry.