QH #6: Avoid The "Not Knowing" Pitfall
QH #6: Avoid The "Not Knowing" Pitfall
How to check your ego when you don't know something
This is the 6th installment of my “Quick Hitter” (QH) series devoted to delivering a lesson or insight you can digest in a short amount of time.
It is okay to not know something
When you don’t recognize this, it is a total killer in your day-to-day and will kneecap you quick fast in an interview. It is common to get stuck on something you’re not an expert on in interviews. This human tendency is insidious in interviews because it’s easy to get sucked into the question and catch tunnel vision. The instinct is to shoulder this all on yourself, but you can catch yourself and detach.
Lean on the team
Rarely will you run into an interviewer who expects you to know everything. The interviewer is likely looking for the moment you recognize you are not an expert in something and how you handle it. This is why teams exist. As you detach, think about the problem/topic/question being posed and who you can lean on to help answer it and get more insight into how to solve the problem. This should be your go-to. Beyond seeking out your team for help, the usual suspects of being resourceful, researching, etc. can help too.
Check your ego
I have learned this the hard way and it takes time to develop this skill, but you can develop it. All the usual techniques of breathing, pausing, etc. work, but the key skill is your ability to quickly identify you’re caught in the trap. You’ll have an easier time knowing you’re in the trap when you start the discussion by checking your ego. A few ways to do this are using some self-deprecating humor, putting a weakness out there early, or admitting to a mistake early on. This is easier said than done. Remember you can practice this and it will help you in interviews and your day-to-day.
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