Interviewers shouldn’t hide their stripes either

Raise your hand if you ever lived this plot twist

When you’re excited to start a new job but your boss is nothing like they presented themselves in the interview.

Last week I talked about how interviewers should want candidates to be themselves during interviews. We want radical candor in the workplace, but expect people to sugar coat things during their interviews.

Prioritizing the opposite of the behavior we desire.

But I glossed over something: Interviewers shouldn’t hide their personalities either.

A contact of mine started a new job recently. He was excited about the company, the initiatives, the people, the work.

And his manager? A hands-off, even-keel forward thinker.

Then the start date came.

PLOT TWIST: his boss turned out to be the exact opposite.

A daily micromanager with the gut instinct to fire anyone (or at least threaten to) at the first sign of a challenge.

We are who we are. Some people micromanage too much. Some fly off the handle. These are things you can work at, if you have the self awareness to know it’s an issue.

But if you’re presenting yourself as a different person in the interview phase: you clearly know it’s an issue. But instead of doing something about it, you’re misrepresenting yourself.

????No one wants to start a new job only to find how you’re not who they thought you were.

And it’s not going to last anyway.

James Hornick

Partner at Hirewell. #3 Ranked Sarcastic Commenter on LinkedIn.