Honesty really is the best policy; however, in today’s society it is so easy for people to “bend the truth,” “be less than honest,” “lie by omission,” or just flat out lie. I don’t care what people say - lying is never a good policy, especially when it pertains to your career.

In the 60s, a military-themed show called “Gomer Pyle, USMC” aired on CBS. The title character, played by Jim Nabors, was simple-minded but often shed little bits of wisdom-filled light throughout the course of the show. He once said, “Ill-gotten gain never lasts long.” And even though that show is more than 40 years old, that bit of wisdom still rings true. Lying to get ahead is never a good long-term solution.

There is no such thing as a “little white lie.” Lying is lying. Saying you obtained a four-year degree when you purchased it online - lying. Telling people you graduated from one college when you only attended there for a short while - lying. Misleading people to believe you graduated from one branch of a multi-system university when you really graduated from another, less-known branch - lying. Fudging your earnings from a previous employer in hopes of getting more money from a prospective/future employer - lying.

Lying not only compromises your professional, and sometimes personal, reputation; but it affects the colleagues you’ve worked with at school and in the business world. It might be difficult, but you should always be truthful.

Be honest. Tell the truth. Work harder. Be better. You’ll be respected in the long run. You’ll maintain the integrity of those associated with you, and you’ll be able to sleep at night.

 

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 11th, 2010at 8:16 pm and is filed under general tips, image. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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