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Comment by jlarocco | Hacker News Reader

I guess beggers can't be choosers, but you're describing an employer I would never work for.

> Remove any controversial political views or disparaging remarks about previous employers.

If a person keeps their stupid political views to themselves while at work, it's really not any of their employers business. As far as disparaging remarks go, if it's an awesome company to work for, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

If your employees have to be as fake as possible to get hired, maybe you're doing it wrong.

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It's not so much "fake" as presenting one's best face in a professional context. Most of us present different faces in different contexts every day.

I often pick my nose, scratch my ass, tell rude jokes, love wearing sweatpants, and don't have a problem with embarrassing-to-most sexual conversations. Do I engage in these things on a first date as I might on a day to day basis with friends? No.. I dress up a bit, smell a bit better than usual, steer clear of politics and sexual jokes. So it goes when seeking a job.

Ah, but the problem is that everyone in the business world has already agreed what "your" "best face" should look like.

If you present a pretty good face that isn't the expected one, it won't work-- frequently they want the drone.

> It's not so much "fake" as presenting one's best face in a professional context.

That's what I take issue with. I think for most people, the majority of their internet use isn't in a professional context, and I see no reason it should be used to judge them professionally. My Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and even GitHub accounts aren't professional things. I'm an adult, I know the difference between work and non-work, and I only work for companies that also know the difference.

And one day when every activity done outside of your home is recorded, will you agree that you shouldn't do any of that except in the private of your own home? Or would you say that if you run to the local market at 8PM in your jammies, your professional reputation shouldn't take a hit. Would you say that if you were seen flirting with a date (or SO or spouse if dating/married) while at some restaurant, it shouldn't be used against your professional reputation?

Workplaces are intensely political. Corporations are huge donors to political campaigns.

Of course, politics goes beyond the pageant of professional politicians we call elections. (For example, saying "corporations are illegitimate entities" is political. Or "corporations are structured as dictatorships, and that's where you spend much of your lives". What would we expect a corporate gatekeeper to do, upon seeing that?)

My haunch is that most donations by corporations are strategic and don't have an ideological bent.

Yes, there are plenty of hiring managers who let their ideology get in the way of making decisions that benefit the business. The companies that have a lot of those won't be around very long. But if you make any political comments online, just pretend that you're on TV and everyone can hear you. In other words, don't be an ass.

Yeah, the fact that political views are an issue for this CEO is a sign that I'd never want to work with this CEO.

Yeah, but you're not unemployed with 4 kids.

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