From Perfect Fit to Restraining Order in 20 Seconds

Through the magic of LinkedIn, I became privy to a personal branding nightmare.

I had a friend and colleague contact me the other day regarding someone with whom I currently work. My friend (we'll call him "X") asked me to ask a current colleague, a former hiring manager (HM) from a MAJOR company here in Rochester, if the HM remembered him.

What follows is an INCREDIBLY valuable lesson.

I asked the HM if he remembered X - the HM remembered him vividly. And not because he hired him. HM proceeded to RECOUNT THE INTERVIEW to me.

HM: "So what things outside of IT interest you?"

X: "Well, do you know Halloween?  Not the holiday but the movie?  I'm like the biggest fan of that movie ever.  Back before the internet had caught on - I created the first ever fan site for the movies.  I love them."

Commentary from HM: From that point on - someone in the interview (it was a group style - very informal) - continually referred to him as "Mike" - as in Myers. He seemed technically competent - but there were rampant concerns across all interviewers about his ability to distinguish between reality and fantasy...  when delivering a message...  like "I want this job and I'm not a creepy horror flick obsessed tech dork".



He actually made our top 5 interviewee list of all time with this exchange.

HM would never say any of that publicly. He only said it to me because he knows me. (And knew I wouldn't hurt anyone when I wrote about it.)

But, kids, let this be a lesson. This is why you should be practicing your talking points. And while I don't think it is bad to say that you are a big fan of horror movies, I do think you should stop there. Everyone has their quirks and hobbies. I am a gamer. No big deal. It humanizes you. Don't go too far with it though.

Even if the hiring manager tells you that he thinks Halloween is the worst movie ever made. :)

In this case, bite your tongue.

Until it bleeds if necessary.