Authentic you

A lot of people tell you to be authentic during the hiring process. And to be authentic on social media, especially LinkedIn while you are job searching. Produce content that the “authentic you” would want to write. Make sure to show them your true self. “Managers love candidates who are authentic.” But being authentic doesn’t mean off loading your baggage during the interview. Also, if your authentic self is known as a jerk by family, friends, peers and strangers, then that might be a problem. Being authentic doesn’t mean telling the interviewer about how much you smoke or drink or party. Why you got that DUI. Why do you have a felony assault. It also doesn’t mean being a jerk. Yes, as a candidate you have a lot of leeway, but don’t strut around like a Peacock showing all it’s feathers. No one likes that. The same goes for recruiters. Often I see recruiters pretend to be God’s gift to humanity. “Oh look, such a good job I did.” “I am so good at my job, I did the bare minimum but other’s don’t do it so I am better.” Listen, stop it. Being authentic doesn’t mean putting your dirty laundry out there for everyone to see. It doesn’t mean that you comment on people’s post showing no regard for common sense. It doesn’t mean complaining and whining about how broken the hiring process is. How bad recruiters are. How bad candidates are. If that’s you being authentic, I want you to stop being authentic. I want you to be the person that Obi Wan Kenobi knows you can be. Not the person the Emperor wants you to be. Obi Wan Kenobi gives you Luke. The Emperor gives you Darth Vader.