Tell Lies
Would you tell lies to a client for a consultancy?
Our article ‘I have been asked to lie at work‘ was picked up by www.Brainbox.com.au the Aussie contractor site.
Our article quoted someone who was asked by a Consultancy to say he actually worked for them rather than being an IT contractor when he went to be interviewed by the end client.
Here is one person’s reply:-
Ethical Standards
I’m a highly ethical person and generally don’t agree with having to tell lies.
However, we all tell lies and often.
Its just human nature and business. For example you ring in sick, say you have a stomach bug, when really you have a hangover.
Or a job is taking longer than maybe it should because its just plain boring and tedious. So you say: ‘it turned out to be more complex than I originally thought’.
Not Malicious
When you tell lies of this type, (everyone tells lies like that), there’s no malicious intent, and nobody is worse off because of them.
In the case described here, I don’t think its any of the client’s damn business what employment arrangements the software house has with its own staff.
How the hell are those arrangements going to adversely affect the quality, timeliness, and cost of the services provided. In any case there should be a contract in place that states and agrees these things.
Tell Lies like Dr McLaughlin
In this case, I’d tell lies like Dr. McLaughlin suggests. If, down the track, someone from the bank finds out you’re a contractor, you simply say: ‘I was permanent but I’ve gone on to a contract now.’
The types of lies that aren’t acceptable relate to misrepresenting one’s skills and experience or the quality and features of a product or service etc.
That is, things that’ll cost somebody down the track.
Gun4Hire
If you didn’t feel comfortable telling a lie you never should have gone for the interview. If I were the consultant I’d be furious, since I’d cop the fallout from the client.
