Whether you are in a job interview or composing your resume, Do Not Offer Personal Information! There are those who would like to believe otherwise, wanting to believe the decision maker actually cares but the professional advice offered by experts and decision makers confirms, be professional not personal.
Jessica Holbrook, a former Executive Hiring Manager for Fortune 500 companies and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast has an excellent article posted on the Happen Blog sitecourtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, So Tell Me About Yourself – STOP! It’s a Trick Question. Included are many reasons you do not offer personal information in a job interview.
A Hiring Professional has a long list of requirements necessary to fill a position and you can be assured that their list will not include sexual orientation, how many children you have, if you are single, married or divorced, which sports interest you or if you prefer red or white wine. And everyone knows to avoid religious and political affiliations! While reviewing professional resumes, the objective is to look for any reason to reject it in an effort to reduce the list of resumes from potential candidates to a manageable number of qualified individuals. A reference to irrelevant, personal information may be reason enough to discard your resume. Beyond lacking professionalism, the potential employer may have some concerns regarding your inclination to take days off work to go to the golf course because you have said you are an avid golfer.
A professional resume and job interview should include your qualifications and notable accomplishments throughout your work history. The HR Manager has a responsibility to hire a professional with the ability to fulfill the needs of the company and those needs will not include your personal interests! Offering personal information will likely leave the same impression as showing up for an job interview in blue jeans and running shoes.
Leave a Reply