Comments on: It’s OK to not know. http://www.robborley.com/2009/10/22/its-ok-to-not-know/ ... because everyone else was doing it. Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:53:10 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sam Barnes http://www.robborley.com/2009/10/22/its-ok-to-not-know/comment-page-1/#comment-363 Sam Barnes Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:57:56 +0000 http://www.robborley.com/?p=36#comment-363 Completely agree with this. As a web project manager myself I can fully appreciate the natural human instinct to try and blag an answer rather than say you don't know - but, I can also testify to the power of just being honest and saying you don't know. With any team member I much prefer this answer too rather than a weak attempt to cover it. The respect comes from knowing the natural instinct is to blag it, so anyone saying they don't know shows a good strength of character in them... Completely agree with this.

As a web project manager myself I can fully appreciate the natural human instinct to try and blag an answer rather than say you don’t know – but, I can also testify to the power of just being honest and saying you don’t know.

With any team member I much prefer this answer too rather than a weak attempt to cover it. The respect comes from knowing the natural instinct is to blag it, so anyone saying they don’t know shows a good strength of character in them…

]]> By: Craig Rowe http://www.robborley.com/2009/10/22/its-ok-to-not-know/comment-page-1/#comment-361 Craig Rowe Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:32:22 +0000 http://www.robborley.com/?p=36#comment-361 This post really resonates, and I agree wholeheartedly. The kinds of answers you describe are what impress me at interview. If a prospective employee tries to blather their way through a technical question rather than discussing how (and why) the question points to a gap in their knowledge, they are one to avoid. Also these kinds of people can be a pain to work with, answering quickly and without thinking or refusing to admit to 'not knowing' just leads to pain for others in the long run and possibly even bad feeling in a team as others notice the behaviour. This post really resonates, and I agree wholeheartedly. The kinds of answers you describe are what impress me at interview. If a prospective employee tries to blather their way through a technical question rather than discussing how (and why) the question points to a gap in their knowledge, they are one to avoid. Also these kinds of people can be a pain to work with, answering quickly and without thinking or refusing to admit to ‘not knowing’ just leads to pain for others in the long run and possibly even bad feeling in a team as others notice the behaviour.

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