They say honesty is the best policy, and I am a firm believer in that.
Talk to anyone who knows me on a personal level, and theyโll tell you Iโm a very open and honest person. However, there is a clear line between being honest and over-sharing. This is definitely tricky and can be difficult to discern at times, but one of the best ways of figuring out this dilemma is by asking yourself:
am I truly comfortable disclosing this to a potential employer/my future boss?
Or moreover,
is this morally appropriate to say in a professional setting?
Even with those questions, you may just be someone whoโs quite comfortable at disclosing anything and everything about yourself which can be quite refreshing โ but if youโre wanting to get the job, you need to ensure that youโre putting your best impression forward. That means having to really think about whether what youโre saying is particularly relevant to the question that was asked.
Here are a few general tips to remember:
DONโT:
go on long-winded, unnecessary tangents
give out specific names of (ex-)colleagues/clients/customers and talk about their personal lives
talk about an ex-colleagueโs failings and what they did or didnโt do
DO:
answer the interviewerโs questions directly and succinctly
If you can sense yourself starting to ramble a little too much or you feel like youโre droning on and on, youโre probably at that point of over-sharing. As much as the potential employer/hiring manager/recruiter youโre interviewing with may be nice, welcoming, and approachable, that doesnโt mean they arenโt oblivious to what you are revealing about yourself and your previous experience. After all, their job is to discern whether you would be the right fit for the role.