The 21st Century Job Interview
There's an opening at your dream job. This is the job you want more than any other.
You somehow land the interview for this dream position. And you prepare for it like you've never prepared for anything else in your life. You do your homework. You learn names. You come up with questions to ask. You rehearse answers. You practice in front of the mirror.
When the big day finally arrives, you nail the interview. You exceed expectations. You dazzle them. Everyone. They're impressed with your resume. They're even more impressed with your poise and presentation. All they need to do is check those "references furnished upon request," and you'll be hearing those magic words: "You're hired."
That's how it used to go. But not anymore. There's a new twist in the job seeking game. Employers are going several steps further, seeking to find out the truth, digging deeper, and finding out whether the interview persona is the same as the real person.
Do you Myspace? Facebook? Live Journal? What's your screen name?
They don't even have to ask those questions. They find out on their own.
You like Slipknot? Harold and Kumar is one of your favorite movies? What's with all the profanity in your blogs? Better yet, what's with all those spelling and grammatical errors? Why are you in a Degrassi group? And what's the deal with this Gay-Straight Alliance group? Who are these friends? Why are so many of them shirtless and half-naked? What would they say about you? Would they have to say anything at all? Would going to their page say all that was needed to be said?
That's what the 21st Century job interview looks like, and it's something we all have to face. So what do you about it? Do you hide who you are? Do you create a "back-up" world for yourself?
I say fire the first shot. Launch the pre-emptive strike. Let them know it's there. Present it to them like you have nothing to hide. You're not ashamed of who you really are, are you? What you said at your interview is completly consistent, isn't it?
If it really is your dream job, you don't want to have to pretend to be something you're not the moment you walk in the door.
You somehow land the interview for this dream position. And you prepare for it like you've never prepared for anything else in your life. You do your homework. You learn names. You come up with questions to ask. You rehearse answers. You practice in front of the mirror.
When the big day finally arrives, you nail the interview. You exceed expectations. You dazzle them. Everyone. They're impressed with your resume. They're even more impressed with your poise and presentation. All they need to do is check those "references furnished upon request," and you'll be hearing those magic words: "You're hired."
That's how it used to go. But not anymore. There's a new twist in the job seeking game. Employers are going several steps further, seeking to find out the truth, digging deeper, and finding out whether the interview persona is the same as the real person.
Do you Myspace? Facebook? Live Journal? What's your screen name?
They don't even have to ask those questions. They find out on their own.
You like Slipknot? Harold and Kumar is one of your favorite movies? What's with all the profanity in your blogs? Better yet, what's with all those spelling and grammatical errors? Why are you in a Degrassi group? And what's the deal with this Gay-Straight Alliance group? Who are these friends? Why are so many of them shirtless and half-naked? What would they say about you? Would they have to say anything at all? Would going to their page say all that was needed to be said?
That's what the 21st Century job interview looks like, and it's something we all have to face. So what do you about it? Do you hide who you are? Do you create a "back-up" world for yourself?
I say fire the first shot. Launch the pre-emptive strike. Let them know it's there. Present it to them like you have nothing to hide. You're not ashamed of who you really are, are you? What you said at your interview is completly consistent, isn't it?
If it really is your dream job, you don't want to have to pretend to be something you're not the moment you walk in the door.