So, I'm going through a headhunter ("staffing agency" who called me about a job that at first sounds possibly semi-interesting), and I recently lost 20 minutes of my life during which a headhunter tricked me into doing an "interview prep" for an interview scheduled a few days later. During this time I thought I was going to be told the names and positions of the people I was going to meet, but instead I was basically asked what I would say during the interview and then critiqued as the headhunter pretended to be some sort of teacher advising me what I could do differently in order to be a better corporate asskisser.
-- I guess this is how headhunters make themselves feel useful. It might help if they had asked me if I was even interested in such bullshit. The names and positions weren't sent until a later e-mail.
--
Anyway, interview preparation is bullshit. Any meeting of two people that is deemed to be so fragile that it can only be done correctly within a 45-minute period on a single day is bullshit. This only weeds out the asskissers who have rehearsed a play for that one day but may be severely lacking in real skills when it comes to doing the job. I also resent any potential employer who might expect me to behave like such an asskisser. I do not aim to be the "right candidate" nor to "get the job". I aim to be a human being and to communicate with other human beings. If I do not find fellow human beings who appreciate my real strengths and real flaws, then I do not want the job.
I had a technical interview recently where I was honest about a few things with which I hadn't had much experience but inadvertently gave the wrong impression about some other things I did know pretty well. I sent a follow-up e-mail to give more explanation, to correct some answers I'd said wrong, and I hope they were heard.
In my opinion, the "right employer" will appreciate the ability to re-evaluate and correct mistakes over the long term. They will "get the candidate" (me or you). Our talent means nothing without their money? Their money means nothing without our talent.