The North Carolina Unemployment Insurance Office distributes a list of 18 tips that will “convince the employer that it is good business to hire you”. Most are standard advice that you would expect to find: learn as much as you can about the company, be prompt, dress appropriately. Some seemed a bit elementary. In this category were: be polite and courteous, answer employer’s questions honestly, don’t discuss your domestic and financial troubles. But, one of them seemed outright strange to me. Tip #12 advises you to “avoid any arguments with your prospective employer”.

At first, I snorted a laugh and thought this should be preceded by a reminder to “be sure to take all your medication”. Who in their right mind would do this? What could happen in an interview to start an argument? Then DING! I remembered basketball tournament season here in the south, March Madness, a time when college rivalry is tantamount.

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