Bad Assumptions

Over the past few days, I’ve seen a number of posts questioning how employees handle adversity, often framed as tests of character. One story criticized a new hire who missed his first day of work due to a flat tire, claiming he “should’ve thought ahead” or “found a way.” Another showed a car parked across two spaces and asked, “If you saw this from someone you just interviewed and liked, would you still hire them?”

These posts may seem harmless, but they reflect a broader tendency: we rush to judgment. We assume we know the full story from a single snapshot. And while assumptions help us make quick decisions, they can also make us forget that people have different struggles, backgrounds, and support systems.

Several years ago, I interviewed an intern who defied most of the expectations we typically rely on. He had just finished his first year of college, and I told him upfront we rarely hire interns that early. He asked if he could come in anyway—just to learn more about the field. I figured if someone wants to show up and ask questions, even knowing the answer is likely “no,” I can give them an hour of my time.

Then he arrived . . . . with his grandmother.

I’ll admit, even I paused. There are countless articles criticizing young people for bringing a parent to a job interview. Many hiring managers would’ve ended it right there. But instead, I asked him why.

He explained that he lived with his mother in a less affluent part of town. His family didn’t own a car. He attended college on the East Coast, where public transportation was reliable, but in our city, the bus system was complicated and unfamiliar. His grandmother rode it regularly and came with him to make sure he got there on time, even if a bus was delayed or didn’t show up.

In that moment, I realized it wasn’t immaturity, it was resourcefulness. It was humility. It was respect.

Within five minutes of talking to him, I knew he was exceptional. Kind, soft-spoken, deeply knowledgeable about computer science, far beyond where I had been at his age. I walked out of that interview, went straight to my boss’s office, and said, “I don’t care where we find the money, we’re hiring him.” I rarely draw a line in the sand, but this was one of those moments.

I learned a lot about my assumptions that day. About how easily we filter people through narrow definitions of “professionalism” and overlook what really matters. If I had trusted the surface, I would’ve missed out on one of the most talented individuals I’ve ever met.

Great people don’t always arrive in the package we expect. Sometimes, you just have to be willing to look deeper.