I can say with certainty that I am not a perfectionist. Today, for instance, I’m wearing brown shoes, olive green pants, a black belt, a blue striped shirt, and a Mackintosh plaid tie. And oh, my socks don’t match. I attribute this imperfection to my upbringing in a chaotic household where no one really knew how to dress.
My colleague won’t mind me telling you that she prepares her room the night before her workshops. She puts aside exactly three Starbursts, a cup of lukewarm water, two paper towels, and enough sharpened pencils for twenty attendees. Not only that; she dresses like she’s going to a job interview. Is she a perfectionist? No. She’s probably this way because she was brought up as an Army brat.
If you claim perfectionism as a strength at a job interview, you’re likely to lose the job before the interview’s over.
1) First of all, interviewers have heard this claim far too often and it insults their intelligence. Someone answered, with a smug look on his face, the strength I asked him and I immediately thought he was a con man.
2) Second, a perfectionist is someone who has a difficult time finishing projects or assignments because he or she thinks they must be perfect, which is a tough bill to fill.
3) Third, a perfectionist is most likely going to irritate those around him because they will expect perfection from them. CBS Money Watch repeats, “It also messes up the people around you because perfectionists lose perspective as they get more and more mired in details.”
Lastly, an astute interviewer realizes that there are negative ramifications that accompany perfectionism. Psychology Today states, “A one-way ticket to unhappiness, perfectionism is typically accompanied by depression and eating disorders.” Those who consider themselves to be perfectionists are so concerned about being successful that they’re more focused on not failing. It’s a recipe for disaster.
Wikipedia also claims there are serious psychological ramifications associated with being a perfectionist: “Researchers have begun to investigate the role of perfectionism in various mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and personality disorders.” Yikes. This makes me glad that my ties rest in my drawer at work like a nest of snakes instead of hanging neatly on a tie rack at home.
However, there seems to be some contradiction when Wikipedia describes perfectionists as perfectly sane people who simply excel: “Exceptionally talented individuals who excel in their field sometimes show signs of perfectionism. High-achieving athletes, scientists, and artists often show signs of perfectionism.” This makes sense. I suppose that if I were to be operated on, I would want a perfectionist as my surgeon.
I’m certainly not a perfectionist, and it hasn’t hurt my performance—my performance reviews consistently garner “Very Good”—but I wonder what it would be like if my clothing were perfectly matched. I’m sure I’d suffer some malady. One thing is for certain, it’s better to choose a different strength to give at a job interview.