How Honesty Should You be in an Interview? (The Israk Story)

Sorry, Israk! I didn’t hire you.

One of my duties at my past workplace was interviewing student library assistants. I appreciate my previous manager for giving me the opportunity to take part in the hiring process.

I enjoyed collaborating with them to organize interview questions—deciding what to ask first, next, and last—and selecting candidates from a pile of applications.

We were hiring for a library student assistant position.

The only thing I didn’t like was the unnecessary barrier that prevented capable, honest, and hardworking students from being hired based on their status in Canada.

Maybe they’ve changed their policy since then. I hope so.

The Interview That Stuck With Me

What impressed me the most wasn’t the students who passed the interview and got the job—it was the one who didn’t pass, yet answered every question earnestly.

The words Israk repeated most during the interview were:

"I don’t know, but I’m willing to learn."

As interviewees, we’re often told to avoid saying "I don’t know." We fear that if we admit gaps in our knowledge, the hiring team won’t like us—and we won’t get the job.

But Israk’s honesty was different.

How Honest Should We Be in an Interview?

Should we be completely honest in an interview?

Or should we hold back—presenting only the best version of ourselves, even if it means exaggerating a little?

There are different levels of honesty in interviews:

Total Honesty – Saying exactly what we know and don’t know. If we lack experience, we admit it.

Half-Honesty – Tweaking our answers to sound better. Maybe stretching the truth slightly—telling stories that aren’t exactly how they happened, but are what the hiring team wants to hear.

Deception – Giving answers we think they want, even if they aren’t true. Saying what’s expected, rather than what’s real.

I have this illusion that, aside from introducing himself, Israk started nearly every response with:

"I don’t know about this, but I am willing to learn."

Why He Wasn't Hired

After all the interviews, my manager and I discussed the candidates. We went through who stood out, who left the best impression, and why.

Some candidates had prior library experience.
Some asked great questions.
One was the only person to send a follow-up email.
Another had an outgoing personality.

Under Israk’s note, I wrote: "Serious about every question."

In normal life, when someone says "I don’t know," they might be pretending. But when someone says "I don’t know” in an interview, they truly don’t know.

I admire Israk’s attitude—his sincerity. He answered every question with focus, his eyes pure and attentive, looking straight into us. He wanted to learn how to work in a library.

But he wasn’t hired.

I’d rather believe it was because of his true honesty.

Because he wasn’t enrolled in a student grant program—one that international students were not eligible for.

A week after the decision, he replied to us via email.

I don’t remember exactly what he wrote, but I remember his words:

"I come from Bangladesh to study in Canada.”
"I have no idea what that program is about.”
"I have little experience, but I am willing to learn."

I never replied to Israk.

Not because I didn’t care, but I didn’t know how to.

I had no authority to change the decision. And I didn’t understand why the student grant program should filter candidates that way.

In my opinion, university students should be treated equally - international students and local folks are equal. There should be no disparities in job hunting within campus.

Why I Started This Blog

I feel like I owe Israk an apology.

I didn’t reply to him.
No comfort. No explanation. Nothing.
I left him in silence.

I’ve been thinking: How can I support people like Israk?

Maybe by simply talking to them.
Maybe by sitting down for a coffee or tea.
Maybe by just listening.

What I Can Offer

My humble career stories.
My past mistakes—so others don’t have to repeat them.
My worst interview experience.
The embarrassing moments I wish no one else had to go through.

I want to be a mentor, a hub, a friend, and I want to help those in need.

Whenever I feel lazy to share, I think of Israk.

I hope, wherever he is, he finally worked in a place he wished for, or in a library.

I hope that my no response didn’t discourage him from pursuing his dream job.

I wish I could do more.

I will try.