A worker went viral for their take on what bosses actually look for in a job interview, and it is the opposite of what we have been taught. Instead of focusing on who you are and what you know, you need to focus on what your potential boss wants to hear.
So much of the advice we get about job interviews often centers on how we can “bring our true self to the workplace” and other such tips. But as this worker argued, that’s malarkey. An interview is all about saying what the hiring person wants to hear. Any advice to the contrary is probably just telling you what you want to hear.
The worker gave their take on what bosses actually look for in a job interview, and it’s a lot simpler than you’d expect.
If you’ve been in the working world for any amount of time, you’ve likely heard all the gurus’ advice. Craft a narrative, prove you’re a cultural fit, show them you have a vision for the future, show them who you are as a person, blah blah blah blah blah.
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Sure, that all sounds great. But as so many people like to say nowadays, from workers to the few HR professionals willing to be honest: In our era of so little loyalty and so many layoffs, the real truth is that your job does not care about you.
So what DO employers actually want when you come in for an interview? A worker took to Tumblr with an answer, and it’s the kind of blunt, hard truth that seems harsh on its face, but actually makes the whole thing a lot simpler.
They said that job interviews are about nothing more than telling employers what they want to hear.
“Remember that interviews are not about giving a good and honest first impression that they’ll carefully consider,” the worker wrote. “Interviews are about saying the special words and phrases they’re looking for that give you points and when they tally those up whoever earned the most job points wins.”
That may sound too simple, and too cynical by half. But what I’ve learned in my own working life is that this person, whoever they are, is absolutely correct. Employers truly don’t care about who you are as a person, at least not at first.
They may grow to care one day. And they’ll certainly say they care to lure you in and give the appearance of a touchy-feely corporate culture! But they do not actually care about your grand goals, what you’ve had to overcome, and what you hope to achieve.
The worker went on to say, “They don’t want to ‘know you’ they want you to walk in there and regurgitate everything the job description said.” Yep… that sounds about right!
The worker’s hot take may sound reductive, but it’s actually in line with a lot of recruiters’ and HR professionals’ advice.
So what do actual experts say about this? Well, they’re a bit more nuanced about it, but a lot of them basically say the same thing.
Anna Papalia is a veteran recruiter and career coach who is an expert on job interviewing. Her advice: Do not ever share anything personal in a job interview.
Aside from everything else, you talking about how much you love being a mother, for instance, is a great way to trigger an employer’s sexist biases.
Is that fair, or for that matter, legal? Of course not. But it’s also the reality. Papalia suggested instead that you keep everything you say in an interview grounded in your qualifications for the job. Leave the rest of you at home.
Bonnie Dilber, another recruiter and job search expert, took things even further. She said to outright lie in your interviews about certain personal details, like future plans, why you want the job, and why you’re leaving the one you’re coming from. Her advice: Tell the interviewer what they want to hear, not the truth.
Recruiter Joel Lalgee went so far as to say that being honest in the workplace is the biggest mistake he’s made in his career. “Corporations want ‘yes men,'” a worker said in response to one of his videos, to which he replied emphatically, “Yesssss.”
For a lot of creative types, who often operate from the heart rather than the head, and neurodivergent people who often struggle with subtext, this cynical approach has probably never occurred to them. Many said as much in a Facebook post where 3000s’ hot take was shared. “I’m annoyed,” one person commented, “but I suppose it makes sense.”
Of course, a bit of charisma never hurts any endeavor. You don’t have to become a robot. And having a background on the company and the person you’re interviewing with is always vital. But as for all that other job interview prep? Ultimately, work is about getting the job done, with as little friction as possible, while making as much money as possible.
So, keeping it simple by telling them whatever they want to hear doesn’t sound like a bad idea. And it’ll save a lot of headaches.
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
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