Detection of Deceptive Communication: Deception in Hiring Situations

Abstract

The examination of the different stages of the hiring process provides numerous occasions for potential employees to deceive their future employers. Impression management in multi-faceted ways is used on both sides to favorably influence the other party’s opinion, leaning towards the potential employment contract being closed. Inflation of job titles or faking of situations experienced and mastered by the applicant, up to the point of telling sheer lies to impress and secure a vacancy in a tight job market. Based on a literature review supported by exploratory empirical cross-sectional research, this paper will discuss different levels of deceit during several stages of the employment selection process.