Many professionals wonder if oversharing can harm their job search. During a job interview, you spend a significant amount of time talking about yourself, and sharing many details is crucial. However, certain tidbits shouldn’t typically enter the conversation and, if they do, you may find yourself without an offer when all is said and done.
If you’re wondering why oversharing may hurt your job interview, here are a few reasons it can be harmful.
Questionable First Impression
When you meet with a hiring manager, their goal is to learn more about you. However, this is typically limited to a professional context. Plus, the hiring manager expects you to be concise, ensuring enough information is shared without stalling the process.
If you overshare, a few things happen that lead to a bad first impression. It may make you seem unmetered or unfiltered, which isn’t ideal. It could call your time management skills into question or make the hiring manager feel that they’ve lost control over the discussion. Finally, it might mean there isn’t time for other important questions, preventing them from gathering all the details they need.
Lack of Boundaries
Oversharing during a job interview can cross certain unspoken boundaries. Specific details about your life are typically considered highly personal. If you present them to a hiring manager who doesn’t know you well, it may seem inappropriate or could make them uncomfortable.
In turn, they’ll be concerned that you’ll interact with team members similarly. If that’s the case, the odds are high that they’ll move onto another candidate.
Problems with Confidentiality
When you overshare, it may leave the hiring manager worried that you wouldn’t keep proprietary information to yourself. If they fear that you’ll fall short when it comes to maintaining confidentiality, that’s a situation that they typically don’t want to navigate. Instead, they will remove you from contention.
Issues with Focus
When most people overshare, it happens after going off on a tangent. Since job interviews are supposed to be focused, the hiring manager may quickly doubt your ability to stay on task when necessary. It suggests that you’re distractable, which isn’t ideal in many roles.
Reputation Damage
Oversharing by employees can reflect poorly on the company. If you tend to say what you want completely unfiltered, share highly personal details in-person or on social media, or otherwise present information to the public that doesn’t reflect well on the company, they may worry that you’ll harm its reputation.
Ultimately, oversharing can have a significant negative impact on your job interview and search. That’s why it’s crucial to find a balance when presenting personal details. While a little bit can help you showcase your culture fit and develop a rapport, going too far comes with consequences.
If you’d like to learn more about how you can improve your interview skills and avoid oversharing, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our staff members today.
