5 things you should lie about in interviews, according to a recruiting expert

• Joel Lalgee advises job candidates to lie about certain topics during interviews.
• He suggests against badmouthing past employers, revealing true salary, and sharing 5-year-plan.

Joel Lalgee spent around a decade working as a recruiter at various agencies until about two years ago.

Now, the 36-year-old shares job market insights and recruiter tips on his social media accounts and podcast. He recently made a video about five things candidates should lie about during interviews.

"The job market is absolutely brutal, and it's extremely competitive," Lalgee said in the video. "So when it comes to interviews, you want to answer and say the right things."

Lalgee told Business Insider he doesn't advocate for lying about skills or experience. But when it comes to the interview process, candidates need to be strategic about the message they're communicating. He outlined five key areas where candidates might need to tailor their responses — and possibly tell a white lie.

The reason you want to work for the company

Lalgee told BI that "everyone knows you're there to make money," and this is especially true of the younger generation. But you should leave pay out of your response when asked why you want to work for a company.

Lalgee said companies should be empathetic to financial struggles and high inflation. But, he cautioned that making the job about money could create the perception of job-hopping for higher pay.

Instead of bringing up compensation when asked about interest in a job, Lalgee advises candidates to prepare a response highlighting the company's mission or culture.

"If you're really committed to the mission and the culture, a lot of people will believe that you're gonna be more dedicated to the work," Lalgee told BI.

Why you left your last company

The worst thing a candidate can do is go on a tangent about their previous or current company, Lalgee told BI. The advice may seem obvious, but Lalgee said it's easy to get carried away when you're a little nervous.

"It will always be a red flag when they're considering you against other candidates," Lalgee said.

Lalgee said in his video that candidates should speak positively about past experiences while adding that they're looking for a new challenge.

If a candidate feels compelled to be honest about a negative experience, Lalgee told BI they can say it wasn't a match or a culture fit. He then recommends pivoting the conversation to explain how the current company aligns better with the goals or values that the candidate is looking for.

Plans for the future

Lalgee said it may be tempting to be honest when asked about your longterm plans, whether that be grad school, starting a family, or changing careers.

But when recruiters or hiring managers ask this, they're looking for you to talk about your future at the company, Lalgee said.

He added that "recruitment is expensive" and companies "don't want people that they're gonna invest in" that will end up leaving.

Salary

Lalgee said hiring managers shouldn't be asking how much you make — and if they do, you shouldn't tell the truth. Instead, you should state the range of salary you're targeting, Lalgee said.

Candidates should give a $20,000 to $30,000 range of what they're looking for, Lalgee said. He also warns not to lowball yourself and make sure the starting number is your midpoint.

"That way, if they do lowball you, which they're doing a lot right now because of the state of the market, you at least haven't truly lowballed yourself," Lalgee said.

Whether you're interviewing at other places

Lalgee said mentioning you're interviewing at other companies can give you negotiating power. Candidates should respond "yes" or say that they're "in the process," when asked if they're interviewing at other places, Lalgee said

"The more in demand you are, the better," Lalgee said.

While sharing specific details isn't necessary, Lalgee said he's never seen this strategy backfire and warns against the opposite approach of telling the company that all your eggs are in their basket.