Can Overconfidence Sabotage Your interview?

If you scour the advice handed out by professional IT recruiters and hiring managers, you’ll find nearly everyone notes how important confidence is in an interview. You never want to go into an interview giving off an air of desperation, nor do you want your nerves to get the best of you. However, walking into the room with too much confidence can actually sabotage your interview. Let’s examine the reasons why.

Too Much Confidence Shows as Arrogance

Confident people are successful, this is true. But when someone is overconfident, they often come across as arrogant, and most people don’t enjoy the company of an arrogant person. How do you know if you’ve crossed into overconfident territory? Watch and listen to yourself for behaviors like:

• Speaking over the interviewer.
• Not listening to the entire question.
• Ignoring the question entirely to focus on something you’d rather address.
• Engaging in excessive name-dropping.
• Acting as though you know more about the subject matter than the interviewer.

Would you want to work with someone who engages in those types of behaviors? Most likely not. If you notice yourself doing any of those things, practice your interviewing skills to ensure you’re giving off a confident, not arrogant air.

Why Overconfidence Ultimately Sabotages You

The reason overconfident people aren’t likely to get the job goes deeper than simple personality issues. Hiring managers know overconfident behavior extends well beyond the interview itself and can show up on the job in the form of:

• Complacency
• Feeling certain tasks are “beneath” you
• Criticism of other people’s abilities
• A skewed vision of where your skills truly lie
• A tendency to take on too much work
• The inability to admit to or learn from mistakes
• Failure to ask for help when feeling overwhelmed

The bottom line is coming off as overconfident leads hiring managers to believe you aren’t a team player; that you care more about yourself and your personal success than the success of the team and the organization.

People who show the right level of confidence can communicate well, allow others to share in their successes, learn from their mistakes, pitch in to get the job done regardless of the task, work to persuade others rather than demanding agreement and can ask for help when they need it; all critical skills of successful IT professionals.

If you are seeking out new and exciting career opportunities in IT, it pays to have an expert recruiter on your side. PEAK Technical Consulting can help connect you with positions that align with your goals and skills as well as your personality and work style. Contact us to start the conversation today.

About PEAK

PEAK Technical Consulting has created connections with employers nationwide, where you can find projects and roles to make the most of your abilities and advance your career. Since 1968 PEAK has helped IT professionals find jobs that offer flexibility, challenges and rewards. We are committed to giving you the resources and support you need to build the career of your dreams.

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If you are looking for employers and opportunities that will take your IT career to the next level and help you to achieve your goals, contact a PEAK recruitment expert today.