In this installment of MBA Interview tips, I am going to talk about a real no-no...lying.

In a word, don't do it. There are several reasons why.

At the top of the list goes back to a very old saying that goes like this...

"What a tangled web we weave when at first we practice to deceive."

Do you know why this is? Think about it. If I were to ask you for your name, address and phone number, you would hardly have to think in order to give me the answers. Why? Because they are true facts. Now, imagine you had an alias with a phony address and phony telephone number. You'd have to make a conscientious effort to remember those things because they are not really a part of your real life.

The more things you have to remember (the lies) the greater the chance of slipping up somewhere along the interview process. Some questions might refer back to other questions and if you don't have your lies down really pat, you're sunk...plain and simple. Trust me, you have to be a real pro to pull off a ton of lies at an MBA interview.

Now, having said that, there are ways to tell the truth without having to say anything negative about yourself should you be asked a question that would require a less than positive answer. For example, let's say you were asked if you ever had a job in an office and you hadn't. You could say something like, "No, but I have had office training from XYZ company when I was staying with my uncle over the summer. They showed me around and taught me some office procedures like filing and answering phones. So while I never actually worked there, I do understand those jobs and feel very confident that I can perform them if I had to."

See how easy that is? What you want to do, when asked any question, is downplay the negative and accentuate the positive. Don't worry, the interviewer will know you're doing this but that's what they want to see...somebody who looks at the plus side of things and presents their strengths instead of their weaknesses. They don't want somebody to simply answer "No" and then look down at their shoes because they feel like a failure because of it.

Don't lie...but simply qualify those negative answers with something positive.

If you want to really prepare yourself for your MBA Interview, check out this resource: MBA Interview Secrets