One Game Doesn’t Make a Star

“Ian Wright squares up to ex-Man Utd star…”
A newspaper headline designed to grab attention. And it works.

But here’s the reality:

The so-called “Man Utd star” played just one game for the club’s first team.

Yes, he scored.
Yes, he wore the jersey in a Premier League match.
But was he a star? Or is this another example of stretching the truth.

And that’s what I want to highlight.
Because in recruitment, we see this all the time:

• “Transformed operations” often means helped on a small piece of a larger puzzle
• “Managed global teams” could mean filled in for a manager on leave
• “Drove strategy at board level” invited to sit in at one meeting

The claims may not be lies.
But do they reflect the true depth of experience?

When hiring, we need to move past headline thinking.

Not just “Did they do it?”
But how often, to what scale, and what were the results?

Because there’s a big difference between playing one match and playing week in and week out.

What’s the most “technically true but totally misleading” thing you’ve seen on a CV?

Your perspective matters; feel free to reach out: 

Talent Partners | LinkedIn | stephen@talentpartners.ie