Can one small lie on a job application come back to haunt you? For many job seekers battling endless rejection emails, that temptation feels all too real. A Reddit post on the popular forum r/jobsearchhacks is sparking debate after a candidate admitted to stretching the truth on a key application question, only to land an interview they now feel unprepared for.
The user shared that they recently applied for a role that required no prior experience beyond a bachelor’s degree. But there was one catch, a question asking if they had direct experience with a specific electronic health records (EHR) system.
“I clicked yes because I was tired of the auto reject emails,” the user wrote. The problem? They have never worked with the system professionally. Their only exposure is as a patient at a doctor’s office that uses it.
Now, after receiving an invitation to meet the hiring manager, the excitement has turned into anxiety. “I’m nervous on what to say when they bring that up,” the post reads.
The post quickly gained traction, with hundreds of upvotes and mixed reactions from users. Some encouraged the candidate to double down and prepare fast.
“Go look up a bunch of knowledge base documents on it and YouTube videos and then keep up the lie,” one commenter suggested.
Another added a slightly softer take: “Say you’re no expert but have light experience so if you get the job they’re not surprised there’s still a learning curve.” Others took a more blunt approach, with one user writing, “Lie? … In for a penny, in for a pound.”
The original poster pushed back, highlighting the core issue, how to explain experience that doesn’t exist.
“But what do I do when they ask me how I have experience working with it?” they asked. “The only way would be if I had a job that uses it—and I didn’t.”
This is where the situation becomes tricky. While some see it as a harmless exaggeration to get past automated filters, others warn it could backfire during technical questioning or background checks.
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The dilemma: One checkbox, big consequences
The user shared that they recently applied for a role that required no prior experience beyond a bachelor’s degree. But there was one catch, a question asking if they had direct experience with a specific electronic health records (EHR) system.
“I clicked yes because I was tired of the auto reject emails,” the user wrote. The problem? They have never worked with the system professionally. Their only exposure is as a patient at a doctor’s office that uses it.
Now, after receiving an invitation to meet the hiring manager, the excitement has turned into anxiety. “I’m nervous on what to say when they bring that up,” the post reads.
Posts from the jobsearchhacks
community on Reddit
Internet reacts: ‘Fake it’ vs ‘be honest’
The post quickly gained traction, with hundreds of upvotes and mixed reactions from users. Some encouraged the candidate to double down and prepare fast.
“Go look up a bunch of knowledge base documents on it and YouTube videos and then keep up the lie,” one commenter suggested.
Another added a slightly softer take: “Say you’re no expert but have light experience so if you get the job they’re not surprised there’s still a learning curve.” Others took a more blunt approach, with one user writing, “Lie? … In for a penny, in for a pound.”
The real concern: What happens in the interview?
The original poster pushed back, highlighting the core issue, how to explain experience that doesn’t exist.
“But what do I do when they ask me how I have experience working with it?” they asked. “The only way would be if I had a job that uses it—and I didn’t.”
This is where the situation becomes tricky. While some see it as a harmless exaggeration to get past automated filters, others warn it could backfire during technical questioning or background checks.
