Introverts and interviews
Image: Sylwia Ramach/Shutterstock

Feeling shy? This is how introverts win at job interviews

7 Feb 2017

Introverts of the world, rejoice! You can use your reserved demeanour to your advantage – even within the daunting setting of a job interview.

Even the best of us can find job interviews scary. Dressing to impress, selling yourself without coming across as arrogant, showing off enough knowledge without spewing too much information, all while remaining calm – no wonder they can get the better of us.

Shy people and introverts might find this situation twice as scary.

Introverts make up almost half of the world’s population and while it might be reassuring to know that you’re not the only one, it probably doesn’t help you when you’re heading into that all-important job interview. How are you supposed to get your dream job when you’re not naturally good at showing off?

You may not be good at selling yourself or making small talk, but that doesn’t mean you should lose out on your dream job to someone more outgoing.

You might not know it, but introverts have a particular set of personality skills that they can use to their advantage.

Your automatic humble setting will prevent you from coming across as arrogant.

Your inability to brag should help you to offer real facts, examples and even physical evidence of your achievements, which will back up your skills much more than a well-rehearsed spiel.

Your natural comfort zone with individual connections will help you maintain eye contact with your interviewers – even if you have more than one.

Since introverts tend to overanalyse and stress about conversations, you will need to take the time before and after the interview to relax and wind down.

If you’re feeling nervous, check out the guide below to nail your interview and get that dream job. You can click the infographic for a larger version.

Introverts and job interviews guide

Infographic: CashNetUSA

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Jenny Darmody
By Jenny Darmody

Jenny Darmody became the editor of Silicon Republic in 2023, having worked as the deputy editor since February 2020. When she’s not writing about the science and tech industry, she’s writing short stories and attempting novels. She continuously buys more books than she can read in a lifetime and pretty stationery is her kryptonite. She also believes seagulls to be the root of all evil and her baking is the stuff of legends.

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