One of the many issues that interviewers have when interviewing candidates is people trying to be someone else or something that they are not. There is even a philosophy out there called “fake it until you make it.” Candidates usually get in over their heads when they adhere to such a philosophy. That is because for the majority who do this, they really don’t know the proper answers and they are bluffing to get the job. Then when they encounter a situation where specific knowledge was required, the job blows up in their face because they don’t have that knowledge.
To a very large degree, you want to give good, strong answers to the interviewer’s questions. But if you encounter a question which challenges your knowledge on a subject, acknowledge that you don’t have the answer but that you could and will pursue it. Otherwise you risk getting into a situation where you are in over your head. Additionally, interviewers are good at detecting a faker for the most part. Owning up to what you don’t know actually buys you respect in most circles and keeps you out of a precarious situation. Many times the interviewer is trying to stretch your knowledge to see what you do know.
In an interview, dropping keywords or phrases to try and make yourself look like something or someone you aren’t is VERY tempting and easy to do. Perhaps you’ve heard peers, colleagues and/or associates drop buzz words that make them seem educated and your temptation is to do the same thing without knowing the meaning. Resist this urge, especially in an interviewing situation.
As discussed in yesterday’s post, the pre-emptive strike strategy can sometimes work wonderfully in this setting. Use it like this: you are obviously discussing a topic in which your knowledge is weak or vague. Before the interviewer becomes too specific, try to transition the conversation to another area, but still in the context of the job. If you are successful at steering the conversation, you will bypass an area of weak knowledge or lack of knowledge. But if the strategy is unsuccessful and the interviewer comes back around to a specific subject on which you are weak, acknowledge as much. The subject must be important to the interviewer or the job for them to bring it back to the conversation.
The most important aspect about interviewing is to just be yourself, regardless of what you know or don’t know. No one really likes a phony. Whereas there is truth to the point that if you can talk and write well, you can sometimes bluff your way by, that is a poor way of getting a job and as soon as the company realizes your lack of knowledge, they will correct the situation, which will usually mean the street for you. You’ve heard it said that “honesty is the best policy.” In an interview, no truer words have ever been spoken.
John 13:34
