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• Sujatha Kshirsagar
  IIMC, PGP, 1995. President, Career Launcher & Ex Banker

Dear Shilpa, thank you for sharing your experience. Your impressive CV speaks volumes about your skills and qualifications. The challenge you're facing—nerves and self-presentation in interviews—is quite common. It's important to shift your mindset around "bragging." Instead of seeing it as boasting, think of it as sharing your journey and what you've learned. Employers want to understand how you can contribute to their organization, so confidently owning your success is key. To manage nervousness: • Reframe your accomplishments: Focus on what you learned rather than just the result. For example, instead of saying "I led a project that increased revenue by 15%," try, "I learned the value of cross-team collaboration, which helped us achieve a 15% revenue increase." • Prepare key stories: Choose three to five accomplishments you’re proud of and practice sharing them naturally. Make sure each story highlights your skills and growth. • Focus on learning and growth: When discussing strengths, instead of saying, "I’m great at problem-solving," you could say, "I’ve enjoyed learning how to solve complex problems and continuously strive to improve." Best of luck in your upcoming interviews!

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• Prakash Sheshadri Nathan
  IIMB, PGP, 1993. Leadership coach and Mentor, Multiple leadership positions in privately funded infrastructure business, Climate Investment

Dear Shilpa, Consider every interview as a sales job. You are selling yourself. The fact that people like your impressive CV and are calling you for interviews is a great thing. Many fail to even reach this milestone. Well done! What I am sensing is that you are not able to articulate what you have written down on your CV at the time of interview. The best way to prepare is to anticipate the kind of questions that are likely to be asked (as probing questions for eg: You have written that you have xyz skills. Tell us an example of where you have applied these skills). Your examples must be genuine and your response must define the specific contribution that you made in that situation. Do not overstate your contribution, be matter of fact. A bit of storytelling is fine, but do not overdo it. Yes, you need to show confidence. That can come only with practice. Further, learn from each interview. Go back and write down what went well and where you can improve on your response. Finally, remember that there is something called luck. Have the confidence that it will shine on you soon. One final piece of advice. Be yourself. It is a rare quality these days.