WHY YOU SHOULDN’T OVERSELL YOURSELF IN AN INTERVIEW

I know what you’re thinking…

“Shouldn’t I sell myself as much as I can in an interview?” 

Yes. But be authentic.

An interview is all about showcasing your:

• Experience

• Knowledge

• Personality

• Skillset

It’s about showcasing yourself, not a fake version of yourself.

Being ambitious to take on a role that may be challenging is a great thing and we should all take ourselves out of our comfort zone to succeed. But we should also be self-aware to know where our skillset is right now and what job is at a good level to be able to succeed.

Here are 3 reasons why you should never oversell yourself in an interview, and always stay authentic.

THEY’LL SEE RIGHT THROUGH IT IN THE INTERVIEW

Before you even get the job, overselling yourself might stop you from moving forward at all.

Hiring Managers will usually have a deep understanding of the role, the industry, and the experience someone would need to excel in the role… which means they will probably be able to tell if you’re being genuine or not.

Always look through the job specification. See what the company is looking for and find ways to match your experience and knowledge with that. But pretending you understand something, or trying to talk your way into something will only show the employer that you’re not confident in your skills. 

You should be honest about your skillset and showcase a desire for improvement than lie and pretend you’re fully in the know.

Not to mention, overselling yourself can sometimes come across as arrogance. 

Companies want employees who are experienced, but they also want employees who are teachable. As a result, having the humility to say you’re not fully skilled in an area might work in your favour.

THE EXPECTATIONS WILL BE HIGHER

Let’s say you were able to ‘wow’ them in the interview.

You were able to convince them of your abilities and you secure a brand new job with a great pay rise

But what happens on your first day?

The expectations will be huge.

Huge promises mean huge expectations, and claiming to be a machine that can bring in unbelievable results, means the pressure will be on you to prove it.

They may expect you to:

• Reach higher targets

• Take on more responsibility 

• Have a deeper knowledge of a certain area

• Conduct training with other employees

And this may be completely out of your reach.

There’s no point putting up a façade if you can’t carry through. 

It’ll result in probation extensions, tough conversations, and even losing your position.

YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO ASK FOR HELP

No one wants to come across as incapable in their interview. 

It can feel demeaning and even embarrassing to show yourself as someone who doesn’t ‘know it all’. 

But the beauty of not knowing it all and admitting that you don’t know it all is that you can honestly ask for help and work with your company to progress.

Getting input from other people huge benefit and it can help you go from producing good work to producing great work.

And when you already feel out of your depth and then can’t express that, it can quickly lead to burnout.

Burnout affects productivity and harms your confidence.

Being confident in your interview is only one step of the process. To truly succeed in a role, you have to constantly develop confidence in your skills and your future. But this can only really be done with open conversations with managers about your progress. 

Managers can help you:

• To improve your skills and understanding

• Know what you’re excelling at

• With a clear progression plan

• To cope with the stress and pressures of the role

Coming across as completely independent is only a temporary gain in a job. But being open to support is what helps you to excel in the long run.

So remember that before you oversell.

- Written by Shannon Matthews

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