Many candidates make the mistake of believing that a little embellishment on a resume or in an interview won’t do any harm. Be forewarned. Human resource professionals are trained in how to read and profile prospective employees. You may think you are sailing through the interview when, in fact, your nose has grown an inch. Like Pinocchio, the wooden puppet in the fairy tale, you cannot tell a lie in an interview.

As for avoiding the Pinocchio effect, there are a few tell-tale signs of a liar at work. A fidgety job candidate who avoids direct eye contact and turns away from the interviewer may be considered suspicious. An astute liar, however, may change eye engagement patterns while fibbing by looking at the interviewer more intently. A confident candidate will keep steady eye contact throughout the interview but avoid staring.

Another telling clue is facial expressions that do not match the message: “I was promoted to president of the company after two days in the mail room,” claimed John while frowning with raised eyebrows. You get the idea. But rather than master the facial expressions of an honest person, it would behoove you to avoid stretching the truth in interviews. You may not pass the human life detector.