Keep It Honest!

Whether you are writing a job resume, filling in pageant forms, or answering interview questions, you need to overcome any temptation to lie or exaggerate. Keep yourself honest.

There are ways of skirting issues that are better left unmentioned and highlight areas you want to promote without resorting to untruths.  And one truth you can be assured of is if you lie or exaggerate, you will always be caught out!

If you are caught out lying in a job application you risk losing your job and your reputation. If you lie on your pageant forms and are caught out, you risk losing your crown and your reputation!  It just isn’t worth it!

Your level of honesty says a lot about what type of person you are. Pageants don’t want liars as representatives and employers don’t want liars for employees.  Who trusts a liar?  Who respects a liar?  Where is their credibility?  What credibility?!  Earn the respect of those whose “judgment” of you , as it were, can determine your success or failure, and you do this by being honest, and therefore, trustworthy.

Realize that everyone is on a different rung of the ladder and it is okay to not have as many qualifications or experiences as another person who may have had more opportunities than you or live in an area conducive to more opportunities.  Speak truthfully but make the most of what you have experienced and achieved.  If you try to make more of yourself, you will trip yourself up when questioned about it later or when your references and experiences are checked. 

Focus on the positive instead of the negative.  For example, maybe you are new to pageants and you live on a farm, home schooled and unable to participate actively in voluntary work.  However, maybe you can and do volunteering promotion via the internet and perhaps you sponsor charities with donations, etc.  So then list the skills you have acquired in doing this and your achievements.

Another not so obvious benefit of keeping it honest is not having to cross your fingers and worry about being caught out or getting your stories mixed up! 

Honest really is the best policy!