Vent: Blew a job interview last month by oversharing

Sat down with a startup in Denver. The guy asked about a gap in my resume. I went on for 10 minutes about my divorce. His eyes glazed over. Got the rejection email 2 hours later. Anyone else struggle with knowing when to shut up in interviews?

3 comments

3 Comments

rowan_thomas841mo ago

Did you actually practice talking about the gap before you walked in there? Because it sounds like you went in cold and let your emotions do the driving. I get it, divorce is brutal and it bleeds into everything. But that interview was about selling your skills, not unpacking your bag. You gotta remember that hiring managers are trying to picture you doing the job, not sitting in therapy. So next time, try writing down a short, neutral line about the gap and rehearse it like you're reading a script. Keep it to 30 seconds tops and then pivot right back to why you're the right person for the role.

jessica1301mo ago

Honestly I used to think you could just be real and vulnerable about it and people would respect that, but your point about the 30 second script makes so much sense now. Hiring managers just want to know you're stable and ready to work, not hear the whole backstory. I've been rethinking my whole approach after reading this.

avery_jackson1mo ago

That line about 'unpacking your bag' really hit me lol. I once had a manager ask about a gap and I ended up telling him the whole story about how I spent 6 months building a chicken coop that collapsed twice before I got it right. He just sat there nodding while I described lumber measurements. Got the rejection the next morning. Lesson learned: keep it to 'I took time for personal projects' and move on fast.