[afarrell]

> feel free to lie about how many companies you have signed up. Say it's something like 1000.

Is this really the sort of advice we give here?

[adventured]

It's a complicated line sometimes to walk.

Reddit for example faked their user base to get started, and have admitted such, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmeDzx4SUME

This is a common approach to demonstrating a product early on when there's little to no traction. If users show up and it's a ghost town, they will leave.

[tptacek]

It's really not that complicated.

[chatmasta]

Lying is not always bad. In this case, it actually works out better for the employee:

OP lies -> More employee leads -> More companies interested

Employees want as many companies on board as possible, so they win.

[afarrell]

If the OP is successful. If not, then the job-seeker just wasted effort. Which is fine if 1 OP does it, but if many people copycat...