Contribution from Kirsty Ferguson, resume and interview expert

I’m going on a date tomorrow, which is as close as I can get to simulating a job interview.  I am a little nervous and I want to make a good impression. My objective is to build rapport and get a second date (if I like him that is).

So will I tell this lovely chap the myriad of reasons my marriage failed and how draining and financially challenging my divorce process was? NO! Well, not if I want this guy to ask me out again.

So why do job seekers continue to spew unedited information about themselves?  And then expect the employer to call them back?

Candidates give me mainly two reasons for this:

1. The candidate is an honest person who feels no matter what the question is, they must answer with blatant, unedited honesty.

2. The candidate has not prepared examples in advance and just goes with the first thing that comes to mind.

None of us are perfect, we all have flaws, have made mistakes and every single employer knows this before they interview you. They are more interested in how you behave, change, learn, grow and resolve issues in challenging situations than the fact that you have made mistakes. If you choose to tell anyone the worst things about yourself in relation to conflict or mistakes made, an employer will not see your potential.

So, whether it’s a date or a job interview, you are building a new relationship and that conversation should never include the very worst you have to offer.