Hiring managers have to go through a lot to pick out just the right candidate. They have to find someone with the right skills, a good attitude and appears sincere and loyal. But, in a highly competent job market, this task has become all the more difficult.

Resume fraud is on the rise, with several website advocating and even offering advice on how to tamper professional credentials. Even otherwise, candidates often blur the distinction between fact and fancy, and often try to sell off exagerrated statements, or hide previous misgivings.

There's nothing more terrible than to hire a new worker, spent thousands of dollars in training and compensation, to later find out that he/she is not quite trustworthy. And as the hiring manager, you take at least part of the blame. Fortunately, there are a few ways to tell whether a candidate is being honest, right from their interview.

Watch the Eyes

A quick tip. If someone looks down and left while answering a question, they are most probably lying. This is because the area of imagination (while up is for logic), while right is the area of invention (wheras left is for memory). Sort of shows that the person is thinking something up. Moreover, eyes can shed a lot of emotions they might try to hide otherwise. It's okay if there is an occassional discrepancy. People know they can't say everything they want during an interview. But watch out for emotions like anger, contempt or fear.

The Language of the Body

Usually, most candidates walk in with an open and confident body language. At times, they might get caught off guard and get stalled when you ask a particular question. This is your chance. Change the topic quickly, and look for signs of relief or gratitude. Now, ask right away why they seemed uncomfortable. They might not be able to answer your question in a flash. However, be wary if they act elusive and evade further questioning.

Finding the Facts

Before an interview, it always helps if you go through the online profiles of the candidates. This will help you verify the work experience and professional qualifications of the candidate prior to the interview. You can now question the candidate on any discrepancies you found. Do consider it a red flag if they try to evade the question, or refrain from answering it directly.

The Background Check

Finally, if you do want to hire the candidate, you may ask for a few references. The opinions you get from these references will most often be biased. So, ask for permission to get in touch with the candidate's previous employers. They might be able to give you a more honest evaluation. If honesty and integrity and central to the role on offer (like in a bank, accounting, etc.), run a background check through a reliable agency.