Briefing

Deception in recruitment processes is, understandably, a live issue for human resources managers. A recent article in IRS Employee Development Bulletin (1998;105:16) outlines the processes by which prospective employers can minimise the risk of candidates who indulge in the questionable art of “impression management.” To mimimise its effects, both application forms and interviews should concentrate on eliciting relevant, verifiable details of concrete achievement rather than abstract ideas of future ambition. Even psychometric tests are not immune, though faked answers “can sometimes be detected through the intelligent use of lie scales.”