The other day, I happened to follow a link to something on the CNN website: 43 weird things said in job interviews. I found the weird things very funny. Except for one of them. In answer to, “Use three adjectives to describe yourself,” the interviewee said, “I hate questions like this.”
I didn’t laugh at that one. I stared at the screen askance. Oh my God! Did I say that? Well, I might have done. But, if I said it, I didn’t mean, I hate you for asking that question. I meant, I hate having to answer that question, because I tend to underrate myself and because I can’t think straight at interviews. The three adjectives that spring to mind now are: quiet, nervous and weird, although, given some more time, I could come up with intelligent, meticulous and friendly. At an interview, I probably wouldn’t be able to answer at all.
At this point, I could continue to talk about job interviews, or I could continue down a different path, and, as job interviews are not a happy topic as far as I’m concerned, I’ll move on to the other.
So, you’re talking to your mother-in-law and she complains about someone who was rude to her. What’s your first thought? I know what mine is: Oh dear, maybe I’ve behaved in that way, too.
A colleague tells you he’s just been dismissed. What do you think? I think: If he’s going, surely they’ll get rid of me, too. Whatever he’s done, I must have done.
Do you do that, too?
Miriam Drori, Author 