Applying for a job is tough, and standing out in interviews can be even harder. That’s why some people get creative—though sometimes in questionable ways.

One employee on Reddit recently shared a bizarre story about how he helped his company hire a new worker. But when the guy showed up for his first day, something was off—he looked nothing like the person they interviewed.

The employee was certain this was someone completely different, left confused and unsure what to do next. Read on to learn more about this strange situation.

The employee helped hire a candidate he thought was a great fit for the team

Image credits: voronaman111 / envato (not the actual photo)

But when the new guy showed up on his first day, he looked nothing like the person he interviewed

Image credits: LightFieldStudios / envato (not the actual photo)

Image source: LuciusD**kusMaximus

The new hire is still working despite his coworker’s concerns

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio / pexels (not the actual photo)

Bored Panda got in touch with OP to get more details about the mysterious new hire who showed up at his workplace. Since the incident, OP has tried to subtly bring up the differences he noticed. “He feigned ignorance to what I was insinuating,” OP shared. “He told me, ‘everyone seems different in an interview.’”

OP also reached out to a friend in HR to dig deeper into the situation. “She reviewed the hiring documents and said everything checked out, but told me to let her know if anything else seemed suspicious,” OP explained. “I asked them to keep my inquiry ‘off the books,’ so for now, there’s nothing more to be done.”

As someone familiar with recruitment, OP mentioned he’s caught candidates lying in the past. “I’ve had a few interviewees lie about their work history and sent them packing, but that’s pretty rare. More often, they just exaggerate a bit, which I don’t mind—it’s part of selling yourself.”

However, it’s not just new hires who tell big lies. OP recalled a time when a coworker and her assistant secretly eloped, and no one knew until mail arrived addressed to the bride’s new last name. “She ended up resigning from embarrassment, even though everyone thought it was fine and they were cute together. The guy still works here and actually took her old job.”

Lying during job interviews is more common than you might think

Image credits: Edmond Dantès / pexels (not the actual photo)

OP’s experience shows that dishonesty can occur both during the hiring process and among coworkers.

This isn’t surprising, especially with job hunting becoming increasingly difficult. Nearly 70% of job seekers say their current search is tougher than their last, according to staffing firm Aerotek. Naturally, many candidates try to find ways to stand out and secure the job offer they’re after.

In fact, quite a few are willing to bend the truth to get there. A survey by ResumeLab found that 70% of workers admitted to lying on their resumes, with 37% doing so regularly. Interestingly, those with advanced degrees, like a Master’s or Ph.D., were more likely to do so than others. On top of that, a striking 80% of participants confessed to lying during a job interview.

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While most people wouldn’t go so far as sending someone else to take their place in an interview, as hinted in the Reddit story, they do rely on other tactics. Common lies include inflating job titles, exaggerating responsibilities, or tweaking details about how long they worked somewhere. Nearly a quarter of workers have even claimed to hold a job they never had.

ResumeLab’s career expert Agata Szczepanek believes that lying to potential employers is not only unethical but can also seriously damage your reputation.

“If you get caught, it might result in legal actions such as huge fines and in extreme cases even imprisonment. Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to job applications and interviews,” she says. “Even slightly stretching the truth can result in immediate or long-term consequences. Instead of lying about employment history, education or something more, workers should try shifting the focus to the related experience and transferable skills they can offer.”

But it’s not just job seekers who fudge the facts. A Resume Builder survey revealed that 40% of hiring managers confess to lying during interviews, often about the role’s responsibilities, career growth, or company culture. For example, they might promise lots of advancement opportunities without mentioning how few people actually get promoted.

Interviewers also acknowledged that they aren’t always transparent about pay, benefits, and the company’s financial stability to attract better candidates. “There might be some nuggets of truth in there,” says Julie Bauke, chief career happiness officer at the career advisory firm The Bauke Group, “but there’s such a desire to get people in the door that they perfume the pig and exaggerate.”

In most cases, deception paid off: 92% of hiring managers said the applicants they lied to accepted the job offer.

In the end, while we’re all encouraged to be honest, it’s clear both candidates and companies are guilty of trying to put themselves in a better light. So whether you’re applying for a job or hiring, it’s worth keeping in mind to take the things you hear with a grain of salt.

Some commenters wondered if the employee was just mistaken

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Other users shared similar stories of people pretending to be someone else during job applications

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