# Should You Still Hire Him If He Lies?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-voices-7512407/should-you-still-hire-him-if-he-lies
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-voices-7512407/should-you-still-hire-him-if-he-lies.md
Podcast: [HR Voices](https://stenobird.com/podcast/hr-voices-7512407)
Published: 2026-04-30T13:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bd87b065
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/bd87b065/c072fed1.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/hr-voices-7512407/episodes/should-you-still-hire-him-if-he-lies
Duration seconds: 1996

## Resource

Summary A top candidate for a senior finance role is discovered to have misrepresented their MBA degree during a post-offer background check, having dropped out after two years. Despite 15 years of strong experience and excellent references, the hiring manager insists on making an exception, arguing the degree is irrelevant. This directly conflicts with the organization's HR policy, which mandates rescinding offers for material misrepresentations, creating a high-stakes dilemma for HR. The core tension lies in balancing a manager's desire for a seemingly perfect candidate against the critical need for integrity in a finance role and the consistent application of company policy. HR must navigate this by reframing the issue from a conflict between departments to a shared business risk, emphasizing the importance of trust and adherence to established hiring precedents to safeguard organizational compliance and values. Timestamps 02:19 Trust and misrepresentation as the core issue for senior finance roles 03:15 Reframing the problem from "between us" to "in front of us" 07:06 Aligning candidate qualifications with established precedent and policy 11:23 Coaching managers through values-based decisions 15:07 Concise communication with candidates about rescinded offers 17:19 HR as advisors and empowering business leaders 23:36 The dangers of bias and inconsistent application of policy for compliance 26:40 Anti-bias training as a proactive measure 31:19 HR's essential role in driving the business bottom line Takeaways Prioritize trust and integrity in hiring, especially for sensitive roles, as misrepresentation, regardless of experience, introduces an untrustworthy risk to the organization. Reframe conflicts with hiring managers by presenting problems objectively ("in front of…

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