REASON: “I know your Father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate.” So, what does that make us? Absolutely nothing. We all want to make connections when talking with someone, but if the connection is too stretched or irrelevant, rather than forming a bond, it speaks volumes to how little overlap there is. When interviewing someone, don’t mention that your roommate’s best friend was <matching demographic> or the little brother of the kid in your 2nd grade class had <matching disability>. References like that add no value to the conversation and serve to alienate the person you are talking to because it advertises how little experience you have with someone like them. Instead, find things you truly have in common, or even better, stick to talking about the opportunity at hand as that is a common interest – the role, the team, the hiring organization and its mission.
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