Good hiring managers will always have their antennae up during job interviews for signs of a good or bad candidate. Recognizing the difference is a skill that comes from experience, gut feel, or both.
That's why they can reject you for any one of several reasons. Maybe they didn't like what you wore, or they didn't like your voice, or you reminded them of someone they knew - and didn't like - in the past. Or, on the rational side, it could be one of several reasons listed in a post this week at BNET.com titled "Danger! Bad Candidate! Run Away!" One of those reasons was: "The candidate struggles to answer the question, 'What wrong turns or tragic decisions have you made in your career?'"
"If you can't answer that honestly," writer Mark Jaffe says, "you're demonstrating that you can't do an honest, self-critical analysis." Owning up to mistakes and learning from them is a valued trait in many, if not all, workplaces.
I think it's a good question to toss out to you for a discussion:
What wrong turns have you made in your career? (And in the end, did it work out to your satisfaction?)
RELATED LINKS
When Bosses Make Hotheaded Decisions
First Impressions Mean Everything in Your Job Search
Job Interview Basics: Prepare Well to Present Well
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