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A View from the Interviewer's Seat

In response to yesterday's post, a reader writes:

Good article, and I literally "LOL" at the "institutionalized" comment. I think the premise is right. I think the reality is that good interviewees just know how to spin it. Also, interviewers (except for a few sociopaths) like it spun. That is the game; that adheres to the "truth, but not the whole truth" concept. The devil is in the detail, in getting it right, ethical and effective in the particular instance. That takes work, prep, and a comfort in your own skin (as a candidate).

As an interviewer, I had a candidate recently tell me that a gap on her resume was a mental health break from the law that was kicked off when she lapsed into a 2 hour crying binge, at her desk, at the office, when she discovered a misplaced comma in a filing. Wow! Too much information. To make it worse, she seemed to wear this as a badge of honor, and wanted me to see her as a no-nonsense, straight shooter who could afford to be brutally honest b/c she was such an obvious star (or so she thought). I found it a sign of poor judgment (to tell me in that way), and an uncomfortable exchange. No doubt, she could have used your help and advice. I did not hire her.

Anyhow, thanks for sharing the article.

Full post as published by Counsel to Counsel on March 11, 2008 (boomark / email).