--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Tell them what they already know. There’s…" description: "\"“Tell them what they already know. There’s a good chance the interviewer already has a few ideas about your weaknesses and is keen to have those ideas ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg" --- # Tell them what they already know. There’s a good chance… ![“Tell them what they already know. There’s a good chance the interviewer already has a few ideas about your weaknesses and is keen to have those ideas confirmed or contextualized.” quote by James Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg) > ““Tell them what they already know. There’s a good chance the interviewer already has a few ideas about your weaknesses and is keen to have those ideas confirmed or contextualized.”” James Reed ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advice to anticipate interviewers' expectations about weaknesses and prepare to address them constructively. **In simple terms:** Prepare for known interview questions. Key Takeaway Strategically address perceived weaknesses. Themes career interview self‑awareness Mood professional strategic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - job interviews - performance reviews - networking Key Concepts communication strategy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What strengths can you highlight? - How can you turn perceived weaknesses into assets? A Different Perspective Over‑preparing can seem inauthentic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Interview](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) [Weaknesses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weaknesses/) ## Related quotes > [The psychiatric interviewer is supposed to be doing three things: considering what the patient could mean by what he says; considering how he himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-stack-sullivan/the-psychiatric-interviewer-is-supposed-to-be-doing-three-things/) [Harry Stack Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-stack-sullivan/) > [An interview is only as good as both parties are willing to give to the interview and that includes the interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-duplass/an-interview-is-only-as-good-as-both-parties-are-willing-to-give-to/) [Jay Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-duplass/) > [I'm not a go-in-for-the-kill kind of interviewer. It's a great thing to me, that kind of interviewer, but I'm not it. It doesn't play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-m-not-a-go-in-for-the-kill-kind-of-interviewer-it-s-a-great-thing/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [Interviews are vital, but you cannot allow an interviewer to take your life and disturb it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/interviews-are-vital-but-you-cannot-allow-an-interviewer-to-take-your/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [Oftentimes, if you're talking to a seasoned interviewer who asks you a question, they may do a follow-up if they didn't quite get it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/oftentimes-if-you-re-talking-to-a-seasoned-interviewer-who-asks-you-a/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [I'm not a good interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/i-m-not-a-good-interviewer/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [A lot of times the interview relies not so much on the interviewee, but on the interviewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/a-lot-of-times-the-interview-relies-not-so-much-on-the-interviewee/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) > [The interviewer should just tell me the words he wants me to say and I’ll repeat them after him. I think that would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/the-interviewer-should-just-tell-me-the-words-he-wants-me-to-say-and/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [“It’s as though some people think of interviews as a game of catchphrase bingo, rather than a sincere conversation between two strangers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/it-s-as-though-some-people-think-of-interviews-as-a-game-of/) James Reed > [Do you know because I tell you so, or do you know, do you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/do-you-know-because-i-tell-you-so-or-do-you-know-do-you-know/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Life is too short to not tell every one you know about Jesus. I need to practice this more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-engelbreit/life-is-too-short-to-not-tell-every-one-you-know-about-jesus-i-need/) [Mary Engelbreit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-engelbreit/) > [“There are two rules for sucess: 1. Never tell everything you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-h-lincoln/there-are-two-rules-for-sucess-1-never-tell-everything-you-know/) Roger H. Lincoln > [You don't have to tell everything you know, but let what you do say be the truth as you understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-don-t-have-to-tell-everything-you-know-but-let-what-you-do-say-be/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Any two philosophers can tell each other all they know in two hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/any-two-philosophers-can-tell-each-other-all-they-know-in-two-hours/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [You come to me for advice, but you can't cope with anything you don't recognize. Hmmm. So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More by James Reed > [“The first thing to say about money is that if the salary range is stated in the job ad, and is not enough for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/the-first-thing-to-say-about-money-is-that-if-the-salary-range-is/) James Reed > [“It’s as though some people think of interviews as a game of catchphrase bingo, rather than a sincere conversation between two strangers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/it-s-as-though-some-people-think-of-interviews-as-a-game-of/) James Reed Explore all 3 James Reed quotes ## More Interview quotes > [On my podcast, I got to interview Will Ferrell, Sam Hunt, Colin Cowherd - all these different names - and it was just really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-darnold/on-my-podcast-i-got-to-interview-will-ferrell-sam-hunt-colin-cowherd/) [Sam Darnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-darnold/) > [If you're going for an interview, you will dress smartly and look the part, that is absolutely fine, but it's just the level to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-swinson/if-you-re-going-for-an-interview-you-will-dress-smartly-and-look-the/) [Jo Swinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-swinson/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [I'm not really a big fan of doing interviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-m-not-really-a-big-fan-of-doing-interviews/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“Imagine what I could have done in ten years. I could have learned to speak Japanese. I could have played every RPG video game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/imagine-what-i-could-have-done-in-ten-years-i-could-have-learned-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am really bad at actually interviewing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-norton/i-am-really-bad-at-actually-interviewing-people/) [Graham Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-norton/) > [I never do formal interviews. I don't use a tape recorder. I take notes but occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-finkel/i-never-do-formal-interviews-i-don-t-use-a-tape-recorder-i-take-notes/) [Michael Finkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-finkel/) > [“Who is this man I’m supposed to interview, this man whose last name is the same as the color of my sweatpants? Is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/who-is-this-man-i-m-supposed-to-interview-this-man-whose-last-name-is/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [When you're interviewing someone, you're in control. When you're being interviewed, you think you're in control, but you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/when-you-re-interviewing-someone-you-re-in-control-when-you-re-being/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [I do interview senior candidates at the home office or many of our hotel or restaurant General Manager candidates. My two favorite questions are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-conley/i-do-interview-senior-candidates-at-the-home-office-or-many-of-our/) [Chip Conley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-conley/) > [I'm very quiet. I can go a whole week without talking, so doing interviews is really awkward for me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-leung/i-m-very-quiet-i-can-go-a-whole-week-without-talking-so-doing/) [Katie Leung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-leung/) > [I'm actively trying to get away from the over-exposure that happened eight years ago. The only thing a celebrity can do in one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-m-actively-trying-to-get-away-from-the-over-exposure-that-happened/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [At first, when my agent told me, 'They want you to do an interview, a piece for '60 Minutes,' I was like, 'What is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannis-antetokounmpo/at-first-when-my-agent-told-me-they-want-you-to-do-an-interview-a/) [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannis-antetokounmpo/) > [I remember I heard it in an interview with Michael Jackson one day, saying the art is gone, everybody makes records just to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/i-remember-i-heard-it-in-an-interview-with-michael-jackson-one-day/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) [Browse all 1,078 Interview quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interview/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Tell them what they already know. There’s a good chance the interviewer already has a few ideas about your weaknesses and is keen to have those ideas confirmed or contextualized.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Reed" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s-a-good-chance-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Interview" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s-a-good-chance-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c81/james-reed-75824_interview_tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s_2311671.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Tell them what they already know. There’s a good chance the interviewer already has a few ideas about your…” — James Reed", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Reed", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reed/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Tell them what they already know....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s-a-good-chance-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reed/tell-them-what-they-already-know-there-s-a-good-chance-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```