Who am I?
posted February 26th, 2015 at 9:43 AM
I was asked this in an interview the other day. "Who are you?" At first, I wanted to state my profession, but I realized I didn't want to be defined by what I do. So then I was going to state my marital status, but I didn't want to be defined by my singledom either. And then it occurred to me that I didn't know any other way to market myself as anything but my occupation or social status. It made me a little sad and a bit frustrated because all this time, I thought I knew who I was and what I brought to the world, but it turns out that it doesn't have a label or a title. In the greater scheme of things, it doesn't matter because I feel who I am without having to say it out loud, but on the rare occasion I'm asked, it appears I actually don't have the words to express it. Frustrating.
Thanks for the ear!
9 Comments
Post a Commentgeeknomad
Feb 26, 2015 at 10:29am
You are not a transaction.
Languages are well suited to conveying ownership, or changes of it (get, give, have, want, need, etc.). This is even applied to emotions (get love), though (oddly) there are no precise units attached (heh). There's a bit of other action (do this in that way, go there, etc.), but any verbal insight into the individual is pretty limited.
To convey the essence of your self, apart from telepathy, seems quite impossible to me. I am (mostly) fluent in only two languages, and have nodding acquaintance with several others.
"Who are you?" in an interview context seems to invite a reference to one's past star turns, such as: "I am the Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico, reborn." Yes, there was such a person, and it makes for a very memorable (but inappropriate) interview answer.
Crushaholic
Feb 26, 2015 at 11:25am
Your interviewer doesn't know who he/she is either.
That's one of the most idiotic
Feb 26, 2015 at 11:56am
interview questions, Ever. You summed up why it's idiotic, I don't need to add anything. What kind of job were you interviewing for? Talk show host? I would have given the interviewer a look, a smirk and tried to stop myself from laughing. Maybe they just didn't like you and wanted to mess with your head.
sorry
Feb 26, 2015 at 12:26pm
Im picking zoolander right now.
Who am I?
maybe they meant
Feb 26, 2015 at 2:46pm
what are your passions, interests, values, etc. What are you like? Such as I am a kind, generous person who values the efforts of others, etc etc.
Still a weird choice of words for a question.
John Milton
Feb 26, 2015 at 3:06pm
Who am I...and you who are you? Never lost a case *shrugs* .....
The Baby Jesus
Feb 26, 2015 at 9:56pm
@maybe
That would be a "what" rather than a "who". Who is for the names of things with agency. So, yes, as others have pointed out, it was a poorly phrased question (I'm being diplomatic towards the interviewer... not sure why but I am).
It's none of their business
Feb 26, 2015 at 10:03pm
Maybe you are an atheist, obsessed with porn, self centred jerk. Or maybe you are a church going, community service volunteer who bakes cookies for children. It makes no difference to your JOB PERFORMANCE and credentials. Interviewers fuck with people's minds to try to make them feel inadequate. You fell for it.
-Don't.
Finding out 'who you are' could take 80 years. It's your life's journey and none of their bleeping business!!! Completely inappropriate interview question. One time I was asked in an interview if I had ever disappointed my mother. I should have walked out of that mind fuck of an interview at that very moment.
SAR AHH
Feb 27, 2015 at 10:41am
Great confession, OP!
It's rare to come across people that are introspective these days.
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