I am full of contradictions – as are most of you I am sure. But when you have to spend several hours each day talking about yourself, those contradictions become incredibly vivid. At least they do for me. I hope those contradictions don’t peek their head out during the interview process.
Let’s just concede that I am really, really good at my job. I am a talented, pretty exceptional marketer. But let’s also concede, I like to let my work speak for itself and talking about myself is painful. I just don’t think that I am that interesting. Maybe it stems back to a therapist getting sleepy listening to me during a session about 30 years ago. Maybe it stigmatized me, but I haven’t been able to go to one since. I tried after the breakup of my marriage, but I was more happy than sad, so 2 visits and I was over it. No need to talk about my mom or dad.
However, when you are interviewing for a job you have to have that mix of confidence without a hint of arrogance. You have to be able to make yourself interesting, but not dominate the conversation. You have to talk about how great you are at your job, but you don’t want to take all the credit when you have worked with other talented people.
It is, quite frankly exhausting. I have the overwhelming urge to just say, “I GSD and I don’t leave a trail of dead bodies in my wake. Trust me, you want me on your team.” But that is really arrogant and incredibly dismissive. So I talk about myself and get excited when there is a real connection and annoyed when the job they are describing is nothing like the job description, which, oh by the way I am not qualified for.
I use the word transparent quite a bit as I interview. I strive to be completely transparent so the interviewers (be they recruiters or hiring managers) know exactly who they are getting. I am not afraid of going a round or two with executives or leadership, but I am a really collaborative teammate. I am okay being an individual contributor, but I am also a really motivating and inspiring leader and I enjoy nurturing a team and getting the best out of them. I don’t know software X because I have been using software Y. I’m confident that I can use software X because I am confident I can learn any software package on the market.
Ultimately, if I applied for a job, I can do that job. I GSD. So when I get the rejection after four rounds of interviews – they decided to hire from within or whatever lame excuse they give, my confidence takes a little hit. And yet the phone is ringing and it is time to talk about myself again, and talk about how good I am, despite that little voice of rejection in the back of my head. Yeah – it is exactly like looking for love.
Edie Rodetsky 