[NF] I just got told that I seemed "overconfident" in a job interview...

[runvardh]

My comment wasn't in response to yours. It was more of a general observation, but if it was directly prompted by any one post it was Ina's.

Ah, my bad then.

 

[speculative]

...and that was one reason why I didn't get the job...well, they also thought I seemed a bit overqualified, which makes me suspect the salary would have been crap. I thought from the job description/interview that I seemed pretty much exactly qualified, not over-qualified.

I am so discouraged by the job search...

That experience seems very strange. That would make me think they had someone already picked out for the job and were just going through the motions perhaps? Or, it could be that someone else picked the resumes out of the pile that were qualified, other than the person who had to conduct the interviews. I never understand why HR people are inserted into the process in place of managers. (No offense to HR people - they could be a big help if they would help the manager do their job, but not do the manager's job for them...) The manager may have liked your resume, whereas the HR person didn't think you were a good fit for some reason.

I wouldn't extrapolate anything from that one experience, unless you get told that at other interviews or people you know in general tell you you are overconfident or come off as a bit arrogant. It's good to try to learn from it as you are though. Unfortunately, in some situations it's just tough to find what there is to learn from teh experience...

 

[INA]

My comment wasn't in response to yours. It was more of a general observation, but if it was directly prompted by any one post it was Ina's.

Very interesting target given that I explicitly stated that my experience was not a British job experience but with another Euro country - and that the British were therefore not unique in this.

 

[bighairything]

Very interesting target given that I explicitly stated that my experience was not a British job experience but with another Euro country - and that the British were therefore not unique in this.

'Target' is the wrong word in this instance. Like I said, it was a general observation, and your post prompted it only insofar as it re-raised the issue of cultural differences. And your suggestion of getting a local to review the CV is good and sound advice all round, so I don't think it was a bad post.

Rather than target anyone on this thread I was simply highlighting the important issue that the interviewer behaved inappropriately. And it does suggest to me that not getting the job may have been a blessing in disguise.

 

[INA]

'Target' is the wrong word in this instance.

I don't think so at all. You specifically - and unnecessarily - named my post as the one to which you were responding after getting into it with another poster. And the funny thing is it is not contradicting yours. Hmm . . .

Like I said, it was a general observation, and your post prompted it only insofar as it re-raised the issue of cultural differences. And your suggestion of getting a local to review the CV is good and sound advice all round, so I don't think it was a bad post.

OMG thanks for the pat And as the locals and recruiting professionals might tell you, cultural differences do matter in hiring. It may or may not be a factor in the case of the OP (who raised the issue, so much for my post), but it's ignored at your own peril.

 

[bighairything]

You specifically - and unnecessarily - named my post as the one to which you were responding after getting into it with another poster.

I said your post prompted mine. It did. I also specified I was making a general observation. That is all I said. If you want to be prickly about it, carry on.

OMG thanks for the pat

Wow, my apologies for agreeing with part of your post.

And as the locals and recruiting professionals might tell you, cultural differences do matter in hiring. It may or may not be a factor in the case of the OP (who raised the issue, so much for my post), but it's ignored at your own peril.

I never said otherwise. I just said I don't think they are applicable in this instance.

 

[INA]

I said your post prompted mine. It did. I also specified I was making a general observation.

Understandable. People routinely are prompted to deny a thesis by a post that did not make the case for it.

 

[runvardh]

Actually, the idea of being lumped in with the Americans is a little annoying. Just because we look and sound similar, our attitudes tend to be quite different. It's especially exemplified in our government. When they vote right wing it's actualy towards the right; when we vote right wing it's actually more middle. We've dropped a lot of the religious context in government while the States in general still has people waving their belief in God around quite noticably. Then again, I can understand since I've heard that some Americans travel abroad with Canadian flags attached to their backpacks to avoid getting attacked or mugged. Anyway, this post doesn't really serve too much of a purpose towards the OP.

 

[bighairything]

The thesis in question:

It's very much an American thing to really sell yourself. If your resume was US-style, they probably concluded you were over-confident before you walked through the door -- You were doomed.

 

[INA]

The thesis in question:

It is very much an American thing to embellish yourself lots in seeking a job compared to lots of places, e.g. my internship location. I daresay your post did little to address this thesis, which you now claim to have been refuting.

 

[bighairything]

It is very much an American thing to embellish yourself lots in seeking a job compared to lots of places, e.g. my internship location. I daresay your post did little to address this thesis, which you now claim to have been refuting.

No, it's not. Americans may do it more, but the English do it too. Hence why I wrote: "I don't think it's either helpful or correct to put this down to cultural differences".

 

[INA]

No, it's not. Americans may do it more, but the English do it too.

It is traditionally a very American, not a uniquely American thing. I don't think the rep is unearned, though it's a somewhat tired theme by now.

Others may do it too (playing catch-up?), but I wouldn't say it's typically very British - not from what I've seen living and working in Britain (or West Europe or country C) compared to the US. And certainly not according to the HR people. The experience of resume stripping from US --> West Europe was the reverse of resume embellishing going from Country C ---> the US.

I think I'll trust that the experience of HR advisors and my own travails were not hallucinations.

 

[Southern Kross]

Hmm, I agree with a lot of the assessment here. I really think it was a mixture of factors.

Canadians are certainly very different from Americans but they do have a common confidence and enthusiasm, not to mention the accent sound similiar - the negative association would likely carry over. The accent in combination with any degree of confidence could easily have doomed you with a xenophobic interviewer.

It is hard when common/desirable behaviour in you country is seen as undesirable in another. I have had discussions over this with North American friends. They bewilder and disconcert people here in NZ (which has an even more self-deprecating culture than the UK) with their forwardness, enthusiasm and confidence. My friends are confused by the reactions they get and are get a little upset when I try to explain why. They can see my culture is different but naturally don't want to change themselves.

You will probably have to tone it down a little, especially in formal occasions such as job interviews. Formal interactions are when cultural norms are scrutinized the most - you have to tread more carefully. Probably what they meant when they said you were 'over qualified' was that you seemed like you had all the answers. You meant to demonstrate your suitability for the job, but to them you sounded like you have nothing to learn or gain from the job - like you're too good for their job really. Sometimes they just really want to hear about what a valuable experience it would be to work for them and what you would get out of it. Its definitely difficult to maintain the balance of selling yourself and yet seeming humble and grateful - especially when the rules are different too. Be careful of the language you use. Instead of saying, for example, "I'm extremely skilled at...", say, "I have learned/developed skills in..." - it means you can sell yourself yet come at it from a position of humility.

I wish you luck. Its tough out there

 

[SilkRoad]

Probably what they meant when they said you were 'over qualified' was that you seemed like you had all the answers. You meant to demonstrate your suitability for the job, but to them you sounded like you have nothing to learn or gain from the job - like you're too good for their job really.

Yeah, I think this is a distinct possibility actually. The job I just finished had "manager" in the title and the one I interviewed for had "assistant." (even though they were quite similar jobs). So it could also be that if I did sound like I had "all the answers," they thought I'd be wanting a bigger salary than they wanted to pay, or something (publishing salaries suck, incidentally.) It really seems like right now employers want people who are EXACTLY qualified - not the least bit over-, or under-qualified.

I just think it would be weird to go to an interview and feel like I had to downplay my very relevant experience. believe me, I've had interviews in the past where I was distinctly under-qualified (but still thought I had a shot for whatever reason) - so it seemed normal to act confident where I was really well qualified! I also put something in my application letter about what a privilege it would be to work for their company. Frankly, after I sent the letter, I wondered if I was sucking up too much...

I'm not going to worry about it too much, honestly, but maybe try to throw in more about "learning" and "team player" in future interviews. Or something like that.

 

[SilkRoad]

Come on back home then, they're all crazy over there anyway.

I do miss Canada.

 

[Southern Kross]

Yeah, I think this is a distinct possibility actually. The job I just finished had "manager" in the title and the one I interviewed for had "assistant." (even though they were quite similar jobs). So it could also be that if I did sound like I had "all the answers," they thought I'd be wanting a bigger salary than they wanted to pay, or something (publishing salaries suck, incidentally.) It really seems like right now employers want people who are EXACTLY qualified - not the least bit over-, or under-qualified.

I just think it would be weird to go to an interview and feel like I had to downplay my very relevant experience. believe me, I've had interviews in the past where I was distinctly under-qualified (but still thought I had a shot for whatever reason) - so it seemed normal to act confident where I was really well qualified! I also put something in my application letter about what a privilege it would be to work for their company. Frankly, after I sent the letter, I wondered if I was sucking up too much...

I'm not going to worry about it too much, honestly, but maybe try to throw in more about "learning" and "team player" in future interviews. Or something like that.

I meant downplay the confidence and enthusiasm not your experience. You just have to find a different way to get your point across. Its a silly dance really. Here in NZ everyone spends all their time trying their best not to stand out from the crowd. Things like job interviews do our heads in: having to maintain this 'one of the herd' image whilst outshining others Self-deprecating jokes seem to help.

Anyway, it sounds like you did your best. They were probably just being assholes.

BTW how much does the job search process suck in general? I feel your pain.

 

[SilkRoad]

I meant downplay the confidence and enthusiasm not your experience. You just have to find a different way to get your point across. Its a silly dance really. Here in NZ everyone spends all their time trying their best not to stand out from the crowd. Things like job interviews do our heads in: having to maintain this 'one of the herd' image whilst outshining others Self-deprecating jokes seem to help.

Anyway, it sounds like you did your best. They were probably just being assholes.

BTW how much does the job search process suck in general? I feel your pain.

It does really suck. but if they wanted a dogsbody who would accept a crap salary, then it probably wouldn't have been the right job for me anyway. Who knows.

Change of subject, but a few people have said that to me about New Zealanders. I find the ones I've met in England really hard to get to know. In many cases they seem to be either restrained in the personality dept to the point where they come across as not very interesting (even though I'm sure at least some of them are!), or they're out getting very drunk with the Aussies.

 

[Unique]

...and that was one reason why I didn't get the job...well, they also thought I seemed a bit overqualified, which makes me suspect the salary would have been crap. I thought from the job description/interview that I seemed pretty much exactly qualified, not over-qualified.

But I just could not believe the overconfident thing. Maybe I am a bit overconfident about this but I am not sure I have EVER been told that in any aspect of my life... I mean, what should you do? Say "Well, um, I'm not sure my experience is that great, but I think I could probably do this anyway?" I always worry about not seeming confident enough - maybe I over compensated or turned into an ESTP for the duration of the interview

I can't help wondering if this is a bit of an English thing (I'm Canadian but live over here.) The English love their self deprecation. I have a hard time imagining a North American interviewer telling me I seemed over confident.

I am so discouraged by the job search...

Never understood the logic behind the overqualified argument, seems like a cop out

You OBVIOUSLY want the job if you are having an interview with them

 

[SilkRoad]

Never understood the logic behind the overqualified argument, seems like a cop out

You OBVIOUSLY want the job if you are having an interview with them

Maybe they think you only want it because you're desperate. Or something.

 

[runvardh]

Most places have problems with overqualification when it comes to compensation and whether or not you could replace more than just one person with your abilities - something unions don't like. My father has had this problem on occasion; apparently they're often blinded by is very real awesomness.