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> in a job interview, the hiring manager will say > something vague like "bad cultural fit" when he really > means "This candidate knows more than me. I

> in a job interview, the hiring manager will say > something vague like "bad cultural fit" when he really > means "This candidate knows more than me. If I hire him, > then my own job might be at risk." Rationalising people's poor reactions to you as their being scared of your superior intellect is going to stop you from dealing with the underlying issues you're having with social interaction.

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scintill76 12y ago
Several commenters are jumping on this. I don't interpret it as "'Bad culture fit' always really means X", and certainly not "The only reason people could dislike me is because they know I'm superior to them." It was merely an example of the arbitrary, unfair, unstated, maybe even unconscious reasons you or your work might be rejected as an adult, which might be difficult to cope with if you are accustomed to well-reasoned, principled, and kindly explained criticism from school. On the other hand, some people complain about arbitrary treatment in school, too. I can't think of any egregious experiences like that for myself. Maybe these complainers are the type who make excuses for their own failings? Maybe school vs. adult work isn't a good contrast after all? Anyway, I found it a better analogy than you're giving it credit for. Also, I think your tone is a bit strong. Maybe you didn't mean to, but it sounds like you're accusing this person of having "underlying issues with social interaction" and that they often feel they're mistreated by others and are superior to them. That seems uncalled for, given that the original text wasn't that direct or personal. It was just an example. If you feel that it implies a certain attitude of the author that you feel needs correcting, there might be more helpful ways to say it.
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BerislavLopac 12y ago
Actually, a recruiter recently quoted the interviewer telling her precisely this as the reason for declining me.

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scintill76 12y ago

Several commenters are jumping on this. I don't interpret it as "'Bad culture fit' always really means X", and certainly not "The only reason people could dislike me is because they know I'm superior to them." It was merely an example of the arbitrary, unfair, unstated, maybe even unconscious reasons you or your work might be rejected as an adult, which might be difficult to cope with if you are accustomed to well-reasoned, principled, and kindly explained criticism from school. On the other hand, some people complain about arbitrary treatment in school, too. I can't think of any egregious experiences like that for myself. Maybe these complainers are the type who make excuses for their own failings? Maybe school vs. adult work isn't a good contrast after all? Anyway, I found it a better analogy than you're giving it credit for. Also, I think your tone is a bit strong. Maybe you didn't mean to, but it sounds like you're accusing this person of having "underlying issues with social interaction" and that they often feel they're mistreated by others and are superior to them. That seems uncalled for, given that the original text wasn't that direct or personal. It was just an example. If you feel that it implies a certain attitude of the author that you feel needs correcting, there might be more helpful ways to say it.

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BerislavLopac 12y ago

Actually, a recruiter recently quoted the interviewer telling her precisely this as the reason for declining me.