Confidence in Job Interviews

She wasn’t rejected for her skills. She was rejected because her English froze mid-sentence. Riya (name changed) was one of the brightest engineers in her batch. She could code complex systems, explain algorithms, and solve real-world problems. But in every interview, the same thing happened: She’d pause. Stumble. Lose words. And walk out convinced: “I’m not good enough because my English isn’t perfect.” The truth is: Recruiters don’t reject you for grammar. They reject you for the nervousness that takes over when you treat English as a test of intelligence. So here’s the 8-step system I built with her: 1️⃣ We switched from ‘perfect English’ to ‘clear English’. Your interview isn’t an IELTS exam. You don’t need Shakespeare. You need clarity. Instead of long, confusing sentences → we practiced short, direct ones. Example: ❌ “I am desirous of contributing in multifaceted capacities…” ✅ “I want to contribute by solving X and improving Y.” 2️⃣ We built her “answer bank” of 20 power phrases. Instead of memorizing the whole script, she had reusable building blocks. For instance: “One of my key strengths is…” “A challenge I overcame was…” “Here’s how I added value in my last role…” This gave her confidence anchors she could lean on anytime she froze. 3️⃣ We recorded her answers daily. Science shows self-review accelerates fluency by 40%. Listening back helped her fix hesitation and filler words. 4️⃣ We practiced mock interviews in Hinglish. Yes, half Hindi, half English. Because confidence comes before fluency. Once she nailed the answers in a mix, we gradually switched to full English. 5️⃣ We trained pauses as a strength. Silence feels scary in an interview, but it signals confidence. She learned to pause, breathe, and continue instead of rushing. 6️⃣ We expanded her vocabulary with “workplace words.” Not fancy jargon, but 50 words recruiters hear daily: “collaborated,” “resolved,” “delivered,” “improved.” The kind of words that show impact. 7️⃣ We focused on body language, not just words. A confident smile, steady tone, and eye contact make small mistakes invisible. Recruiters remember presence more than prepositions. 8️⃣ We rehearsed under pressure. I simulated real interview stress: timers, tough follow-ups, even deliberate interruptions. So the real interview felt easier than practice. The result? Riya went from 5 straight rejections… To landing her dream role at Infosys in her 7th interview. Not because she suddenly became “fluent.” But because she showed confidence, clarity, and ownership. 👉 If you know someone struggling with English in interviews, Repost this and help your friends land their dream job too. #interviewtips #englishspeaking #careercoaching #dreamjob #interviewcoach

I have been doing a lot of interviews lately—here's what I realized: Confidence will take you further than a perfect resume ever will. → Most job descriptions are wish lists, not checklists. Companies don’t just hire based on qualifications—they hire based on potential, attitude, and adaptability. If you’re waiting until you meet every single requirement before applying, you’re holding yourself back. Here’s how to move past self-doubt and apply anyway: 1. Self-awareness: Recognize when fear is speaking louder than facts. Ask yourself: Am I truly unqualified, or am I just doubting myself? Think about past wins—times when you figured things out, learned quickly, or adapted to new challenges. Those moments prove you’re capable of growing into a role. 2. Growth mindset: Stop focusing on what you lack and start focusing on what you bring. What skills, experiences, or perspectives make you a strong candidate? Instead of saying, “I don’t have X experience,” shift to, “I’ve developed strong [related skill] in [previous role], and I’m confident I can apply it here.” Employers value problem solvers, fast learners, and strong communicators. 3. Resilience: Rejection is part of the process. It’s not a reflection of your worth—it’s just redirection to the right opportunity. Instead of seeing a “no” as failure, use it as feedback. Every interview, every application, every step forward builds experience and confidence. 4. Relationship-building: Sometimes, it’s not about what’s on your resume but who knows your potential. Connect with professionals in your field, engage with industry conversations, and let people know you’re looking. 💡 Bottom line? If you meet at least 60% of the qualifications, APPLY. Hiring managers know no one is 100% “perfect” for a role—they’re looking for growth potential, mindset, and enthusiasm. You bring more to the table than you realize. Don’t let self-doubt be the reason you hold yourself back. 💜

Walking into an interview can feel like being on stage with everyone watching you. It’s not just about what you know; it’s about how you share that knowledge. I still remember my first interview—I was so nervous! But because I prepared, I felt confident. I practiced how to answer every question, so I was ready for anything. If you want to nail your interview, here are 10 common questions and tips on how to answer them with confidence! 𝟏. 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟. ↳ Keep it brief (1-2 minutes). Highlight your current role, key accomplishments, and career journey, ending with what you seek next. 𝟐. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬? ↳ Choose relevant strengths and provide specific examples of their application. 𝟑. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? ↳ Select a real weakness and discuss how you're working to improve it, showing self-awareness. 𝟒. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞? ↳ Research the company’s values and align your career goals with their mission. 𝟓. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮? ↳ Emphasize your unique skills and experiences that add value to the role. 𝟔. 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤. ↳ Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to detail your response. 𝟕. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬? ↳ Discuss growth goals that align with the company’s direction. 𝟖. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬? ↳ Share strategies for staying calm and managing stress effectively. 𝟗. 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦. ↳ Use the STAR method to emphasize collaboration and a successful outcome. 𝟏𝟎. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬? ↳ Prepare thoughtful questions about the company and role to show your interest. 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀: • 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆: Rehearse your answers with a friend or in front of a mirror to build comfort. • 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝑷𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆: Frame your responses positively, even when discussing weaknesses or challenges. • 𝑩𝒆 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄: Let your personality shine through. Authenticity can create a stronger connection with the interviewer. • 𝑩𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆: Maintain good eye contact, sit up straight, and use confident gestures to reinforce your words. • 𝑷𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒇 𝑵𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅: Don’t rush your answers; it’s okay to take a moment to gather your thoughts. Which questions do you usually get asked during interviews? Share below! ⬇️

It took me nearly a year to exit a job I was burnout from. But over the course of that year, I discovered an interview prep method that boosted my confidence like crazy. 👇 [🤓 warning: this post is dense with interviewing value, turn back now if you're not up to it!] Technical Program Managers interviews will often be jammed full of situational questions. This is really, really good news for you. Why? Because there are so many amazing stories in your life (personal and professional) that can be utilized to show your best self. 📌 Here's the trick: knowing how to package up those stories in a compelling way. Let's get tactical. This is a process that has worked for me, take from it what you'd like: 1️⃣ List Core Memories (I see you Inside Out fans) This phase is super rough drafty (see image). There are moments in your life or career that stick out to you. Jot those down first. Then think deeper about other "side quests" that were valuable. 2️⃣ PAR format Problem --> Action --> Result This is where people usually start and end. But its actually just a pit-stop on the way to boosting your interview confidence. Take the stories from step 1 and give some more structure to them. This is NOT meant to be a script. But this format forces you to think in a common story telling format (a super simplified version of "the hero's journey" story telling framework). 3️⃣ Attribute Tagging What are the various ways you can apply this story to different questions? Each story likely has many angles you can speak to. Tag each of these stories with each attribute or situation that it might address. For example: - A story about (1) overcoming a project failure can also be a good story about (2) change management. - A story about (1) risk management can also be a good story about (2) leadership 4️⃣ Keywords Note Cards Go analog. Write it down literally with a pen on paper. I don't advise writing a "script". That often comes off unauthentic in interviews. Instead, jot down the (1) story name and (2) the attribute tagging. You've just made yourself some flashcards of your own amazing life. 4️⃣ Practice with friends and family Call your mom. Call your uncle. Tell them you have a cool story from your career that you want to share with them. Try each story from different angles so you get comfortable with your own, true, authentic narrative. ---- I will be covering this in more depth via my next newsletter. Feel free to join, its free. Link in comments. ---- ♻️ Repost if you found this useful. ➡️ Follow me for more on strategic execution and leadership. 📨 Join my community newsletter, The TPM Craft (link in profile).

I've interviewed 150+ job candidates, here's what I've learned. About 90% of them were qualified. About 15% of them actually interviewed well. About 5% of them got the job. The problem for the ones that didn't get the job? - They were unprepared - They lacked confidence Most people prep by researching the company, but that's not enough. Research will not give you confidence. A lot of people assume that people are born confident, but that's not true. Confidence is learned by doing things you're scared of and slowly figuring them out. The best candidates I met had actually PRACTICED for their interviews. It's embarrassing and scary to practice for your interviews, but it's what will actually make a difference. 👉 HERE'S WHAT TO DO: 1. Setting a timer for 3 minutes 2. Google "10 most common interview questions" 3. Practice your answer to the question 5 times in a row 4. Move on to the next question and repeat You'll be amazed at the progress you'll make in even 30 minutes. So remember, confidence is not something you have or don't have. It's learned. 👉 Courage creates confidence. Take that small courageous act and start practicing today. P.S. Do you practice for your interviews? If so, what do you do?

Ever been in an interview where you knew you had the skills, but still felt a knot in your stomach? I've been there. I used to cram my brain with technical jargon and hypothetical answers, trying to prepare for every possible curveball. Then I realized: Confidence in interviews does not equal to having all the answers. The best interviews feel like a conversation. They happen when you shift from trying to be "right" to simply being authentic. Here's what that looks like in practice: 1️⃣ Connect the Dots: Explain why you moved from Role A to Role B and how it built the unique skillset you have today. Don't just list your past jobs. 2️⃣ Pause: You don't need to fill every second of silence. A thoughtful, "That's a great question, let me think about that for a moment," shows more poise than a rushed, imperfect answer. 3️⃣ "I Don't Know, But..." is a valid answer. Follow it up with how you would find out or learn. This shows problem-solving skills and intellectual honesty. Your unique professional journey is your greatest asset. Own it, articulate it clearly, and the confidence will follow. What's your number one tip for building authentic confidence in an interview? Share in the comments! 👇 #interviewtips #careeradvice #jobsearch #confidence #personaldevelopment #storytelling

The biggest mistake in interviews? Trying to be perfect instead of being prepared. I just finished a mock interview with a client, and in just one hour, everything changed completely. THE DISASTER: ↳ “Tell me about yourself” turned into a 4-minute ramble with no clear direction. ↳ When asked, “Why do you want this job?” the response was, “I need money.” ↳ The salary question caused a deer-in-headlights panic. ↳ There were zero questions for the interviewer. THE TRANSFORMATION: ✅ We developed a 90-second elevator pitch that highlighted her unique value.   ✅ She conducted research on the company, which demonstrated her genuine interest.   ✅ She presented a salary range backed by market data and delivered it with confidence.   ✅ She came up with 5 strategic questions that impressed the interviewer.  THE REAL BREAKTHROUGH: She shifted her focus from trying to be “perfect” to being well-prepared. The turning point was realizing that an interview is a conversation, not an interrogation. Her exact words were:   👉 “I went from dreading interviews to actually looking forward to them.”  What made the difference? We practiced the SOAR method for behavioral questions (Situation, Obstacle, Action, Result).   🎯 It was a game-changer.  The truth is, interview confidence isn’t about memorizing the “right” answers. It's about preparation, clarity, and practice until it feels natural.  If you have an interview coming up, what is your biggest fear? Share it below 👇, and I’ll give you my best tip! ♻️ Repost to share this with your network.

As a recruiter, I get asked about common interview mistakes Here's the biggest one I see and how to overcome it: Confidence Signs of someone who is not confident: -Anxious/nervous throughout the interview (we expect some nerves at the start) -Avoiding eye contact -Stumbling through answers -A few minutes early or on time (if you're on time, you're late) -Not put together (something is off with your attire) -Body language (shifting in chair, fumbling hands, fidgeting) All things that you probably don't realize you're doing until the interview is over And you feel like you just blew your only chance My question to job seekers: What is preventing you from being confident? If you're getting called for an interview -You have the skills/abilities we're looking for Now we need to find the right fit for you + us (team, culture, job alignment) We wouldn't have called you if we didn't think you were qualified -That alone should bring you ample confidence And if you aren't confident in yourself -How can you expect us to be confident in you? Interviews are challenging as it is Why make it harder on yourself? If you want to master the art of confidence It'll take some practice and time But there is validity in "faking it until you make it" My advice: -Overprepare and have examples ready of behavioral responses -Study the job description and highlight everything you have done previously (and have examples of how + results if applicable) -Take natural pauses after sentences and SLOW DOWN -Time yourself and practice getting responses within 1-2 minutes -Find commonality between you + interview team (look them up on LI) to help you feel more relaxed -Check yourself in the bathroom mirror before you join the physical/virtual room -Repeat to yourself the mantra that you are qualified because you were picked We want you to have a great interview And we are genuinely excited at the fact that you could be your new teammate But if you aren't confident You've shot yourself in the foot And you're the only person that can save yourself What have you found works best for you in having confidence in interviews? Let me know in the comments

A cruel irony of job hunting: The more you want it, the less likely you are to get it. A woman I spoke to recently summed this up perfectly. She's in two interview processes atm. One for a job that she REALLY wants. And one that she's doing "just for interview practice" I'm sure you can see where this is going... In the "practice" interview, she was: 😎 Calm 😎 Collected 😎 Confident In the one she desperately wanted, she was: 😱 Nervous 😱 Rushing 😱 Panicky Desperation breeds panic. Panic breeds poor performance. At the same time, it's only natural to be desperate when you've gone Three Four Five+ months without a job. Without an income. I've been there. It's terrifying. Two recommendations to deal with this? 1️⃣ Detach from the outcome. Put in the work. Trust your preparation. Try your absolute hardest. But then let go. Know that, ultimately, the decision is not in your hands. And is not a reflection of your self worth. As the saying goes: "You could be the ripest peach in the world, and there will still be people who hate peaches." 2️⃣ Figure out how to hit the pressure release valve on your finances. That could mean getting a side gig just to bring in some cash. Or it could mean lowering your burn rate. Either way, the less financial pressure you're under when interviewing, the better chance you'll have of being in that detached, calm, confident mindset. So remember: 🚫 Desperation breeds panic. Panic leads to poor performance ✅ Detachment breeds confidence. Confidence breeds job offers 💰

Nothing is more charismatic in an interview than confidently communicating your knowledge and sharing your successes. And nothing is a bigger turn-off than: The words, “Yeah, I know…” Coming across as overconfident and cocky can kill an interview faster than a three-year unexplained gap on your resume. I recently spent an hour on the phone with a candidate to help him prepare for an upcoming interview.  During our conversation, I asked how he planned to answer the question: “Why are you the best candidate for this job?” Within 30 seconds of his response, I knew it wasn’t going to work. I even considered pulling the plug on the prep and canceling the interview altogether. But I chickened out and pushed through, hoping it might improve.   Spoiler alert: it didn’t. Let me clarify—on paper, this guy was perfect. Unfortunately, he knew it. And he wanted to make sure everyone else knew it, too. For nearly 10 minutes, he rattled on about how he had singlehandedly saved the hospital millions, built the most respected department, and was universally admired by everyone in the industry. It was non-stop. I kept thinking, someone please shoot me. I tried to coach him on toning it down: -             I suggested softening his approach.  - Response: “Yeah, I know.” -             I advised him on handling the salary question. - Response: “Yeah, I know.” -             I reminded him to avoid being too casual during the interview.  -  Response: “Yeah, I know.” -             I proposed some thoughtful closing questions to ask. -  Response: “Yeah, I know.” Needless to say, he didn’t get the job. The employer went with a lesser-qualified candidate—yeah, I know. Some Advice for Bringing Confidence to an Interview Without Sounding Arrogant: -         Prepare and Know Your Value: Research and match your strengths to the role—but don’t overwhelm them with a firehose of information. -         Practice Active Listening: Listen to understand, not just to respond. -         Mix "I" and "We" Statements Strategically: Strike a balance between individual achievements and teamwork. -         Avoid WIIFM (What’s In It for Me) Questions: These questions are best addressed during the offer stage. -         Stay Humble Yet Enthusiastic:  Show genuine gratitude and excitement for the opportunity. I figure those who most need to hear this will still respond with, “Yeah, I know…” but maybe it’ll help those who keep an open mind.