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

[OrangeAppled]

...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.

Yep...this is usually code for "we suspect your talent is of a level we cannot afford".

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

This could be code for "you sound too good to be true, and now we are suspicious if you can really do what you say you can do."

Or "we're afraid you're so smart/talented that we won't be able to boss you around and take advantage of you."

I believe the job interview is all a BS-ing game, so you have to read between the lines of their BS reasoning.

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 need to move to England . It's true....it's hard to be "too confident" in the US, which is annoying for those of us who often find that attitude to be arrogant and bragging.

I am so discouraged by the job search...

It's rough out there....

 

[Southern Kross]

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.

LOL. No we're not dull. In fact we're some of the most warm, laid-back and friendly people out there. But showing off and/or drawing attention to yourself is probably the biggest no-no in NZ culture. We want everyone in a group to feel welcome, comfortable and equal, and any bragging/attention seeking (either indirect or direct) is seen as disruption of that. For example, no one would ever talk about how much they earn, how much their house costs etc. If it is more than others', it makes them feel inferior; if it is less, you make them feel uncomfortable in their success. We think its better not to rock the boat.

Its kinda silly in some ways but it does have a positive effect on the culture - there is a greater sense of community and inclusiveness.

Oh and drunkness is a very Kiwi quality, with aussies or otherwise.

 

[SilkRoad]

LOL. No we're not dull. In fact we're some of the most warm, laid-back and friendly people out there. But showing off and/or drawing attention to yourself is probably the biggest no-no in NZ culture. We want everyone in a group to feel welcome, comfortable and equal, and any bragging/attention seeking (either indirect or direct) is seen as disruption of that. For example, no one would ever talk about how much they earn, how much their house costs etc. If it is more than others', it makes them feel inferior; if it is less, you make them feel uncomfortable in their success. We think its better not to rock the boat.

Its kinda silly in some ways but it does have a positive effect on the culture - there is a greater sense of community and inclusiveness.

Oh and drunkness is a very Kiwi quality, with aussies or otherwise.

I've discussed this on other threads elsewhere, I think London is not a good place in a way if you want to see people at their individual best. It tends to make people very "tribal." Actually, the Canadians I've known have mostly managed to stay fairly individual. But I lived in Dublin before and it's not the kind of place where absolutely EVERYONE goes...like London is...so I had a much better and more "individual" impression of the down-under folk I met there than I have from London.

 

[SilkRoad]

I need to move to England . It's true....it's hard to be "too confident" in the US, which is annoying for those of us who often find that attitude to be arrogant and bragging.

Hehe...I do like Americans, I wonder if I could ever live there. I might have to tone it up, rather than down, in job interviews there. The only US cities I've visited that I thought I might to live in were New York, Portland Oregon, or SF. New York is, well, it's NY so it's awesome but I have a feeling I liked Portland and SF partly because they reminded me of Canada!!

 

[Southern Kross]

I've discussed this on other threads elsewhere, I think London is not a good place in a way if you want to see people at their individual best. It tends to make people very "tribal." Actually, the Canadians I've known have mostly managed to stay fairly individual. But I lived in Dublin before and it's not the kind of place where absolutely EVERYONE goes...like London is...so I had a much better and more "individual" impression of the down-under folk I met there than I have from London.

Yeah so many NZers go to London to live and work that its possible to live in a NZ-town like situation. My cousin lived in a flat in London with 2 New Zealanders and an Aussie.

 

[bighairything]

My cousin lived in a flat in London with 2 New Zealanders and an Aussie.

Is that all? I was under the impression that the entire antipodean population of London lived in just one house in Earl's Court.

 

[Southern Kross]

Is that all? I was under the impression that the entire antipodean population of London lived in just one house in Earl's Court.

Sometimes its not far off. When my uncle was in his early 20s he lived in a 2 bedroom flat with 12 other NZers and Aussies. They were so poor and half starved, all they had in the kitchen cupboards was a packet of cereal.

 

[SilkRoad]

Is that all? I was under the impression that the entire antipodean population of London lived in just one house in Earl's Court.

hehehe...my mum lived in London for a bit in the late 60's and said that Earl's Court was known as Kangaroo Court back then! But to be fair, the antipodeans are all over West London in particular... to be more fair, there are a lot of Westerners (including Canadians!) all over West London!

 

[Little Linguist]

...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...

Aww man, I know how you feel. In an oral exam for the translator exam, I overheard the examiners saying I was "over-ambitious"! HAHAHA! Just because I put my full effort, brought pictures, and had a WOW presentation about a topic people do not normally discuss. I think they were jealous. Anyway, I passed, so to hell with those morons.

Just think of it like this: That means when you find the right job, you can hold your own! Keep on truckin', and I'm sure you'll find the job that is just perfect. Until then, I'll kick some major ass of those dumb bytes, how about that?!

 

[SilkRoad]

Aww man, I know how you feel. In an oral exam for the translator exam, I overheard the examiners saying I was "over-ambitious"! HAHAHA! Just because I put my full effort, brought pictures, and had a WOW presentation about a topic people do not normally discuss. I think they were jealous. Anyway, I passed, so to hell with those morons.

Just think of it like this: That means when you find the right job, you can hold your own! Keep on truckin', and I'm sure you'll find the job that is just perfect. Until then, I'll kick some major ass of those dumb bytes, how about that?!

I really don't get these people...I guess they feel threatened or something!

 

[EcK]

...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...

I mean depends what the job was.
Batman's sidekick? The guy just doesn't want you to steal the spotlights. Superheroes live off ad revenue

(Yeah batman is not really a superhero. Or is he)