Stop Underselling Yourself In Job Interviews. Let Your Brilliance Shine.

A woman in an orange top is looking in a mirror and smiling.

Listen, landing a good job is more than just having the skills on paper. It's about convincing the hiring manager you're what they need, the go-to person who can make a real difference. However, for many talented folks, especially those with years of experience under their belts, the interview stage becomes a place where they undersell themselves instead of showing their value.

We've all been there. You walk in feeling confident, and your resume looks sharp. But then, when it comes to talking about your accomplishments, you become hesitant, and your mind goes blank. Here's the thing: downplaying your wins is a silent career killer. It's like being a world-class chef who only serves the interviewer a frozen dinner. You have the talent and experience to deliver exceptional results but must demonstrate your full potential for the interviewer.

So why do job seekers do this? Why do they hesitate to talk about the very things that make them perfect candidates?

Mental Hurdles

You know you need to talk about your accomplishments, but you feel icky about it.

Why?

There are likely several factors at play. Do you see yourself in any of the ones below?

• Cultural Conditioning: Were you taught to be humble? Scolded by a parent for bragging? Society often discourages boasting, especially for women and minorities. When you are constantly given this message by society of parental authority, you believe it. It becomes ingrained. This entrenched humility can translate into difficulty highlighting successes in a resume or interview.

• Imposter Syndrome: Even though you get accolades at work, you still have a deep-seated self-doubt and insecurity that you are being successful. You doubt your abilities and, thus, don't see your successes as extraordinary. You view your achievements as simply "meeting expectations." To you, they are not anything that sets you apart.

• Uncertain Relevance: The problem is figuring out which accomplishments are relevant to the job they want, especially for mid-career or late-stage professionals who have had many career successes. When asked in an interview, you fumble about since you don't know which aligns best for the next job.

• Quantification Quandary: It is not only about highlighting your successes. It is about quantifying them. Sometimes, you have left a job and no longer have access to the metrics used for success. Sometimes, your accomplishments are a bit squishy, and you don't know how to quantify them. Learning and development professionals, for example, sometimes struggle with showing tangible results of their training.

• Transferable Skills Maze: This is true, especially for career changers. They don't recognize or even downplay the value of their skills and experiences. 85% of skills are transferable, so it is important to realize that you have more of what that employer needs than what you might first think.

• The Buried Treasure Trove: Some people have photographic memories, but for most of us, memories fade over time. I work with many clients who have difficulty remembering specific achievements that happened even a few years ago. There may be some great gems to discuss, but not if they cannot be remembered.

• Storytelling Stumble: Even if you know what accomplishment you want to speak about, you stumble with telling a coherent story that is engaging and highlights your strengths.

Strategies for Confidently Sharing Your Achievements

Okay. So you know you have one or more of these issues holding you back from job search success. What do you do?

• Reframing "Accomplishments": The first step can be a mindset change. We sometimes think of achievements as that shiny medal or trophy, but achievements can be anything that moves the business forward. Did you exceed expectations on a project? Solved a problem that was vexing your group for a while? Or have you helped a team be collaborative? Those are accomplishments that employers will be interested in. Talk about them.

• The Power of "Why": Consider your accomplishments and ask yourself why your employer cared about them. There usually is a story about why this accomplishment was significant. Did it help the employer secure more clients? Did it help reduce costs? Did it make it a better place to work? When you understand its importance, talking about it will seem less daunting.

• Quantify When Possible: Numbers don't lie. If there is a metric around the accomplishment, that is proof of the impact. Did you increase efficiency by 20%? Streamline a process, saving the company $150K. Talk about what that number meant to the company.

• Team Accomplishments Are Okay: If the team did something together that made a difference, it is okay to discuss it. It demonstrates skills like communication, relationship building, and collaboration. Remember, though, to talk about your specific role in the team's success.

• Humans Love Stories: Talk about your accomplishment through storytelling.  Describe the situation you faced, your actions, any obstacles overcome, and the positive results. If you take the interviewer through all this, you may feel more comfortable discussing the result.

• Is It Bragging Or Showcasing? Bragging is about seeking attention, self-aggrandizement, and disrespecting others. Talking about what you actually did and the results falls outside this category. It is the difference between "I am the best" and "This is what I have done and can do."

Preparing To Talk About Accomplishments in An Interview

One of the best ways to avoid underselling yourself in an interview is to prepare beforehand to know what you want to say and how you want to say it.

• Track Your Wins: Tracking your accomplishments throughout your career is important. Make a point to set a quarterly date to review your achievements over the last 90 days. When you start your job search, look at your list to familiarize yourself with the ones you have. Then, you can start figuring out the relevant ones to discuss throughout your job search.

• WIIFT (What Is In It For Them): Choose accomplishments that address that employer's needs. You want the accomplishment to resonate with them. Look at the job description to see what aligns. Ask people at the employer or who know about the employer what you want to emphasize.

• The STAR Method: Structure your interview responses using the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. This is a proven method to organize your answers so that you touch on the crucial details, especially the final result, which many people miss.

• Practice Makes Perfect: I can't stress this one enough. You have to practice your answers. You don't want to wing it in an interview. Know what accomplishments you want to highlight and practice telling that story with conviction. Practicing will give you more confidence.

Conclusion

Don't be shy about speaking about your accomplishments. Your interviewer wants to hear them and remember, your competition is talking about theirs. In fact, as a former recruiter, I can say you are doing your interviewer a disservice by not giving them the full information about yourself. You may be just what the employer needs. Yet, they might not know this if you hold back and don't talk about all you have and can do.

Shelley Piedmont is a Career Coach who focuses on understanding your unique skills, interests, and aspirations and provides personalized coaching to guide you toward roles where you can truly thrive. Whether you are stuck as to what your next career move should be or need help with resumes, LinkedIn profiles, or interview preparation, Shelley is here to help you. Please set up an exploratory call to find out how she can help you reach your career goals.