Dogs, ponies, gas and SNL

I've been on more than a few interviews in my days including a couple this year.

This years' interviews were different in that I truly was there to learn more about the job and the people running things. I was respectful in every way and even communicated all this on the phone before I went in. I was upbeat with good energy. Again, I was completely honest about why I was there-as opposed to trying to overtly sell myself or exhibiting insincere excitement about a job/company I knew nothing about.

This approach went over like a fart in church....which is fine. (The result, not the metaphor..though that's one of my favorite images).

These masks we all wear. That "polite laugh" you do when your boss tries to be funny. Our constant need to be validated. So much of work has nothing to do with work. I digress.

Most people interviewing you expect certain things. For openers, they expect your personalized Dog-n-Pony about your exceptionalism. They also want you to exhibit your intense interest in the position from jump street- and how your prowess can be utilized if they were to consider hiring you.

They endlessly mumble words like leverage, deliverable, traction and end of the day. Meaningless business buzzwords.You manage to hold down your lunch until they start talking about thinking out of the box. You're stuck in a real-life, very unfunny Saturday Night Live skit.

All that's been written about how interviews are a two-way street, go ahead and try that approach...but don't do it if you really need THAT job. They'll look at you the way a pigeon looks at The Space Shuttle.

Obviously, this is not every interview situation. not even close. But it's true for way too many.

I understand the hiring company's psychology- they must fill the job but it's a huge part of the turnover problem.