Confident person and a job interview

[Ghost of the dead horse]

.. I think this spells trouble for me. I'm not going around throwing my confidence at people's faces. Still, I hate it when the job interviewers can't often relax in my interviews. They seem anxious, worried, etc.

Career adviser recommended me the general careers of an independent expert and some kind of management positions, and I'm in the former kind of job right now.

We're still waiting for the customers to make their minds up with our projects, so there isn't too much work to be done at the moment. I'm seeking some other jobs at the moment, for additional income.

I'm wondering if the interviewers discriminate against me if I'm really more of an expert or a leader person, applying for a job at a lower level. I'm being myself all the time, and at least my clients are very happy to work with me.

Do the interviewers consider me ill-suited for a lower position? Do you think it's most a function of confidence, non-submissiveness or similar traits?

How can a confident, non-submissive person communicate (verbally and non-verbally) that they can work in a position where they're the lowest of the low?

 

[substitute]

LOL Yeah I get this one too - it's like, I'm the one in the hot seat, I'm the one supposed to be nervous, but the guys who are meant to be grilling me look more nervous than I am! That often actually makes me feel nervous, like I've got to somehow put them at ease and help them relax so they'll like me.

It can go either way though... sometimes you can use it to your advantage to get them to agree to things they might not otherwise, sorta bamboozle them but make sure you get in writing whatever it is they say in case they try to back out later when they come to their senses

I also used to always get turned down for low rung jobs, for the same reason. Imagine what it does to a person's esteem to get turned down by MacDonald's!! lol I think if anything, though we've been talking about high self monitoring skills and adapting to an audience, this is the quality I find the hardest to mask, just simple confidence and natural leadership. When they want a grunt they can push around who will just do the job and not rock the boat or try to change anything, the last thing they want to be faced with is an ENTP!

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

That often actually makes me feel nervous, like I've got to somehow put them at ease and help them relax so they'll like me.

My thoughts exactly.

It can go either way though... sometimes you can use it to your advantage to get them to agree to things they might not otherwise ..

Have to get the job first

I think if anything, though we've been talking about high self monitoring skills and adapting to an audience, this is the quality I find the hardest to mask, just simple confidence and natural leadership. When they want a grunt they can push around who will just do the job and not rock the boat or try to change anything, the last thing they want to be faced with is an ENTP!

Dead on

Ok I'm already thinking up. Perhaps I could emulate non-confidence a bit, or reveal confidence gradually... and state only a one or few reasons for confidence at a time, seeing if there are follow-up questions. Too much info is too much.

I could also assure them with strong reasons that I really need the job, so that I won't be able to find a better one. I think there's a sweet spot somewhere, at the level of jobs that I can get, but no better than that.

But.. but.. I was also not invited to some part-time cleaning jobs I had applied to few months ago. We joked with my friends to hide most of my resume and to invent a fictional personal history with time in jail and homelessness :yim_rolling_on_the_

 

[substitute]

Yes, I was told by a friend years ago when I didn't get the job at MacDonald's that it must've been because I didn't have the required severity of acne

Well I guess shyness or whatever can be acted, like anything else I suppose. But it's sorta counterintuitive to what they tell you at school when they prep you for careers and job interviews, about making sure you appear clean and smart and confident and competent and everything - I figure y'know, that's me without trying, so it should be in the bag. But of course it isn't, because in the low jobs that isn't what they want to see.

Humility actually, if you've worked on it (cos NT's do have to work on it to have any lol), and if you have any (lol) then make sure you show it big time. Cos I think they don't even mind a smart guy as long as they don't feel threatened by you. Showing a sorta humility and even deference can go some way towards assuring them of that.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Well I guess shyness or whatever can be acted, like anything else I suppose.
..
But of course it isn't, because in the low jobs that isn't what they want to see.

Yep, sounds like a question of find-it-and-fake-it.

Humility actually, if you've worked on it (cos NT's do have to work on it to have any lol), and if you have any then make sure you show it big time(lol)

ok, I should exercise humility more, and understand that many of my interviewers haven't got as good credentials behind them, especially if they're young. I should keep the pace a bit slower and tone it down, and let them calm down after receiving something big. If the papers I have show some good stuff, I can afford to tone my style down.

 

[Seanan]

There isn't enough information to give a half-way sensical opinion but it could be that they feel threatened. That could be because they fear you taking their job or one of their friend's jobs.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

There isn't enough information to give a half-way sensical opinion but it could be that they feel threatened. That could be because they fear you taking their job or one of their friend's jobs.

No there isn't, I just told anyway to see if someone immediately caught up about what's it all about And they did, props sub!

I've been skeptical against the common explanation of them fearing for their jobs. I've thought more that an independent, able person isn't manageable by standard management theory and not controllable and predictable by standard capitalistic theory. I mean, if he's not to be exploited, what's the use of him?

I'm exaggerating, I'm an ardent supporter of free capitalism.

 

[substitute]

Not much info was needed for a 'takes one to know one' ENTP with a strong Enneagram 8 thing goin' on

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Not much info was needed for a 'takes one to know one' ENTP with a strong Enneagram 8 thing goin' on

I've thought of compiling a list of 7w8.. me, you, whatever, fdg, and was alcearos that as well? Recently I've thought I get 7w8's better than ENTPs.. no no, I'm not switching camps to that enneagram belief quite yet

 

[substitute]

Yeah... being an 8 in a low rung job sucks monkeys bad enough, but I think it might be worse still being a 7w8 cos well, maybe 8 has the focus to grit his teeth until he works his way up, but the 7w8 just like, is gonna wet the rug if he doesn't get to give this brilliant idea to the boss like right NOW, and get all these great changes and improvements put in place and like, why do I have to do everything by the rules dammit, and keep following these schmucks when I could do it way better??

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Yeah... being an 8 in a low rung job sucks monkeys bad enough, but I think it might be worse still being a 7w8 cos well, maybe 8 has the focus to grit his teeth until he works his way up, but the 7w8 just like, is gonna wet the rug if he doesn't get to give this brilliant idea to the boss like right NOW, and get all these great changes and improvements put in place and like, why do I have to do everything by the rules dammit, and keep following these schmucks when I could do it way better??

Ahh I have no problem with that, I'll call it quits when I've paid my bills and never utter the name of the company again I'm hope it doesn't come as a big disappointment that I were telling all kinds of stories about my "commitment" I'm really relying for other jobs for future income.

One thing is true, I would be relaxed in a job of help desk technician (the one I applied to), cos I think it's easy and fun, and I get to work with people. I think I'd just tune in to the moment and enjoy it while it lasts. It also isn't completely dead end job, I did similar kind of job a year ago and it helped to prove my general IT skills

 

[substitute]

yeah I guess so. I'm the same in that I stare with incomprehension at managers who actually take minimum wage people on 'team building' seminars and ask them questions about why and how they can 'care' for the company... I'm thinking y'know, like AS IF I give a rat's ass about this company, you don't pay me enough or treat me well enough to see it as anything other than a glorified cashpoint!! As if ANYONE is going to be 'committed' to a minimum wage job! Like we lie in our beds at night thinking "One day I dream of getting my ten years' long service badge for pizza delivery!"

Help desk can be alright, but I find it stressful when targets are put into the bargain. Like you have to respond to N people per day and spend N minutes per call and that kinda stuff, it gets very restrictive and you can't just do your job your way.

 

[nottaprettygal]

Are you sure that your confidence is not coming across as arrogance? They always suggest that you show confidence during interviews, so something isn't computing here.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

Are you sure that your confidence is not coming across as arrogance? They always suggest that you show confidence during interviews, so something isn't computing here.

After all this talk I'm sure it is. I already asked my friend to do a mock interview with me and to observe my behavior. I'm sure something like that comes up, and I'll get factual feedback to use for my improvement.

 

[Ghost of the dead horse]

yeah I guess so. I'm the same in that I stare with incomprehension at managers who actually take minimum wage people on 'team building' seminars and ask them questions about why and how they can 'care' for the company... I'm thinking y'know, like AS IF I give a rat's ass about this company, you don't pay me enough or treat me well enough to see it as anything other than a glorified cashpoint!! As if ANYONE is going to be 'committed' to a minimum wage job! Like we lie in our beds at night thinking "One day I dream of getting my ten years' long service badge for pizza delivery!"

Yep, some atmosphere building strategies are just pitiful. The corporate world is complex, and the working world in general.. in many levels, people are being kept content of their situation by the power of their beliefs. A person believing in their career advancement opportunities is a productive, quite possibly reliable worker. Cursed be those who uncover the reality

Having had an advanced position or a certain type of education is a give-away that the person is already familiar with the kind of management methods used in the company.

If someone knows his hopes are being held up with a "method", that's bye bye for the illusion.

 

[nemo]

Whoa.

I don't have anything to add, but I relate to this totally. I thought I was the only one with this problem..? Wow. Cool.

I've found it's often too my benefit on high-intensity interviews like college admissions and whatnot, but many employers can't seem to handle me.

Good luck, Santtu! And if you figure this out, let me know!