Want to land a dream job? Be yourself – flaws and all

THERE are thousands of tips on how to impress in interviews, from what to wear to how to act.

But the best advice is to be yourself – including not trying to hide what you are bad at, according to a study.

After analysing interviews among teachers and lawyers, psychologists from University College London found honest people are up to three times more likely to get their dream job when up against other high-ranking applicants.

These people don’t avoid questions to cover up weaknesses and are unafraid to show their true personality. It pays off as employers use interviews to figure out if people are exaggerating their abilities.

However, writing in the Journal of Applied Psychology, the authors warned the strategy only pays off for those

‘Be honest and authentic’

who are well-qualified. Among poorer candidates, honest answers may simply ‘bolster interviewers’ misgivings’.

Co-author Dr SunYoung Lee, from UCL, said: ‘People are often encouraged to only present the best aspects of themselves at interview so they appear more attractive to employers, but what we’ve found is that high-quality candidates – the top 10 per cent – fare much better when they present who they really are.’

Lead author Dr Celia Moore, from Bocconi University in Italy, said: ‘In a job interview, we often try to present ourselves as perfect. Our study proves this instinct wrong.

‘Interviewers perceive an overly polished self-representation as inauthentic and potentially misrepresentative. Ultimately, if you are a high-quality candidate, you can be yourself on the job market. You can be honest and authentic. And if you are, you will be more likely to get a job.’