I’m sure that we’ve all heard about former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and his meetings with girl known as Kristen. Living in New York, I can’t escape the talk about Spitzer—and I hardly follow politics.

New York recently inducted a new governor, David Paterson. I could not be happier to see someone new in office. He also happens to be legally blind and the first African American governor, which is quite the milestone. But, imagewise he is far from the “ideal” candidate.

Paterson has come clean about a lot of issues in his past. First of all, he confessed that both he and his wife has affairs while they were going through a rough patch in their marriage. Not that I condone infidelity, but the fact that he owned up to his actions says a lot. Recently, he also fessed up to using drugs. Although the drug use was far from recent, he still felt the need to clear the air.

While many have chastised Paterson for is past, I actually applaud him. It takes a lot to own up for your own shortcomings. But, I can’t help but to wonder, is full disclosure about your past the best way to go?

As we all make our way into the industry, one of the major requirements when applying for a job is references and a list of previous employers. But what if our internship didn’t end well? Sometimes things from our past can come back to haunt us.

When on interviews, the last thing you want to do is portray yourself in a negative light. But, before they contact your former employers, you might want to be up front about anything that might reflect poorly on you. That way, before they write you off, they have heard your side of the story.

I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I’ve concluded that honesty is the best policy. Take blame where it is due, but don’t sell yourself short.

What are your thoughts? How much do you think is too much to share?