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Over the weekend I went and spoke with a car dealer about purchasing a new car. As is typical for car salesmen, the man played games. I had done my research on car salesmen tricks and new that I would get the run around at the dealership.
I was told originally that my trade-in was worth “a couple hundred” when I walked out the door after a $900 offer the salesman and manager ran out the door saying that they had “a guy on the line who will take the car for $1100 but needs an answer today.” It was obvious the whole thing was a lie not only because there was no time for this phone call to be made but also because it’s common knowledge that salesmen hate to see you leave the dealership because their chances of selling a car drop. While I took the offer I was disgusted. Why do they have to go through the lie. Why couldn’t we just bargain outright?
At first I tried trying to pin it on the career. Blame the lies on the fact that car salesmen are sleazy. I told myself that I would never lie like that on the job. But, the more I thought about it the more I realized I do lie on the job. I constantly tell applicants that I’ll pass their information on to the hiring manager and be in touch when I already know I’m going to send them a rejection letter. Or I tell applicants their resume is “currently in review” when I know a rejection letter is in the mail. We all lie in some aspect in our jobs. While car salesmen lie in order to get a bigger paycheck, I lie in order in to make my life easier. At least their reason for lying is more admirable. Next time I go to the dealer I’ll look at the car salesmen through different eyes.
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Comments
06.03.08
Their reason for lying is not more admirable!!
Also, yours is more likely to be seen as a white lie. What you say to an applicant can't really hurt them, while what salesman do to make more $ robs you of cash (sometimes).
06.03.08
Hmm I agree with Torbjorn with degrees of admiration, but I think you also have to consider the intent.
I work in HR as well, and my intent with telling applicants I have passed their app is mostly to save (my) time! The intent of the car salesman seems sleazy because they're trying to force you into a major financial decision that you may or may not be ready for. I think the second lie is much more harmful than the first
06.04.08
I think all HR workers need to pony up and stop telling the white lies. Recruiters or anyone that does recruiting and talent sourcing projects should be able to give negative feedback with tact and consideration and be skilled enough to keep the conversation short enough if needed.
We're the first line of professionals talent sees when they interview or communicate with our companies -- and they know when we tell these white lies (or at least if we're interviewing the right candidates they know). Not telling the truth and giving false feedback equals not doing the job.
06.04.08
Lest we all start trashing car salesmen, I just want to pipe up and say they are not all bad. My husband sold cars for three years and was very honorable about it.
Sales is a hard industry and you can't be completely open and honest or you won't make any money. Car salesmen earn their income from a percentage of the margin between what the car was bought for and what the car sold for, so if they were completely honest all dealerships would go out of business.
That being said, I sometimes lie in my job too. As a customer service rep, I frequently tell people it was a pleasure speaking with them when it was rarely anything of the sort.
06.05.08
@All I have to wonder if your opinions would be different if you lived in a society where more goods are bargained for.
11.20.08
Telling people lies which askew thier ability to plan thier lives with certainty is the worse form of lying. Whether it's lying to a job applicant or about the likelihood of approval for a loan, it's bad.
A car salesman telling you that you must make a deal with X period does not affect your ability to feed your family or find a place to live. You know what the price is, and if you can afford it - you're simply being asked to pull the trigger quickly.
HR people who lie need to own up to the fact that people plan thier lives around that feedback and they ought to go home at night knowing that they helped everyone they spoke to in some way - even it was to let them know to spend thier energy elsewhere.
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