Don’t Think Your Interviewer Is Stupid
– And If He Is, He Shouldn’t Be Your Future Employer
Published on by Gernot Sauerborn
Some of my clients try to hide negative experiences during job interviews. Perhaps they were let go, or maybe they had to leave a company under difficult circumstances. The shame runs deep; the perceived defeat feels too great to disclose.
The underlying assumption is always the same: My future employer expects a linear career path filled exclusively with successes. If there is a single failure in my résumé, I am no longer interesting.
But let’s pause for a moment and look at this assumption critically.
The truth is, your potential new employer knows how the business world works. They know that companies undergo restructuring. They know that entire business units get shut down, processes become automated, and even talented people are laid off as a result. They also know that terminations based on performance or behavioral issues exist.
So, if we accept that reality, we are left with a strategic question: Does it make sense to hide your experiences? Or does it make sense to address them openly, responsibly, and with confidence?
The Art of the “Own It” Strategy
When you try to hide a termination or a failed project, you are operating under a risky assumption: that your interviewer is either naive or uninformed. In most cases, they aren’t. A skilled interviewer will spot gaps in your résumé, inconsistencies in your timeline, or the vagueness in your language.
If you try to conceal the truth, you signal something far worse than the termination itself. You signal a lack of accountability and a lack of self-awareness.
Instead, imagine the alternative. Imagine walking into the room and saying: “My last role ended in a layoff because the company shifted its strategy. It was a difficult moment, but I learned a lot about managing transitions. Here is what I took away from that experience, and here is how it has prepared me for this new role here.”
When you do that, you demonstrate ownership. You show that you are resilient. You prove that you don’t break when things get tough—you learn.
The Worst-Case Scenario (Which Might Be the Best Case)
Many professionals hesitate to adopt this open approach because they fear the worst: What if they reject me because of this?
Let’s play that out. What is the worst case? You tell the truth, you take responsibility, and the employer decides to end the recruitment process.
If that happens, it’s easy to view it as a loss. But perhaps it is actually the best possible outcome.
We are living in a world defined by VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) and BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible). In this environment, difficulties are inevitable. Companies will face setbacks. Projects or products will fail. Markets will shift.
If a potential employer cannot appreciate a candidate who has navigated through difficulty with integrity and self-awareness—if they are looking for a flawless résumé instead of a resilient human being—then they are likely not a good fit for you.
You need an employer who values the skills that come from overcoming hardship: adaptability, honesty, and the ability to handle pressure. If they don’t value these things, you are dodging a bullet by not getting the job.
Moving on With Systemic Solution Oriented Coaching
What would showing yourself fully in an interview actually look like—and what is the smallest, most manageable step that would allow you to include a difficult experience without feeling overexposed? When have you already spoken about a personal setback and, instead of feeling judged, noticed that it gave others a sense of your strength; what made that moment different?
What inner voices or emotions tell you that you must not appear with your struggles, and if you gave those voices a name, what would they be trying to protect you from? And what would need to shift—perhaps a new inner phrase, a different physical posture, or a trusted person’s reassurance—for you to begin seeing a past failure not as a stain but as evidence of your resilience?
Systemic solution-focused coaching builds precisely these capacities: it helps you identify and reshape the internal rules that keep you hidden, practice new ways of narrating setbacks as sources of learning, and anchor an attitude that views vulnerability in a professional context as a sign of authenticity and resourcefulness—so that you no longer need to leave parts of yourself out of the story.
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My insights are grounded in my daily work with international professionals and executives navigating the job market and workplace culture in German-speaking countries. As an experienced manager, management consultant, systemic coach, and business-oriented German language teacher, I combine a practical understanding of business expectations with a deep appreciation of the challenges of working across cultures. Having lived and worked internationally, I understand how to make professional experience, individual strengths, and personal identity visible in a new professional environment.
I offer a free chemistry call to personally connect, share how I work with clients, and see if my coaching approach aligns with your goals.
It's the perfect opportunity to decide if we're a good match for your interview preparation.