Confidence and Interviews

Lots of people I have worked with describe having 'confidence issues' or 'imposter syndrome,' particularly when facing high-stakes situations, like a board meeting, or presentation, or in an interview situation.

I often see talented, intelligent, high-performing women struggle with confidence in interviews and as a result, they stay stuck in roles that no longer fulfil them.

Without exception, this isn’t a competence thing, it’s about how confidence can fluctuate, keeping incredible people in the wrong job for years.

In this article, I’ll explore:

• Why interview confidence dips

• How lack of confidence creates career inertia

• The hidden cost of over-preparing

• And what actually rebuilds career confidence

  
  

Why confidence in interviews can feel so fragile

As I shared in my blog article about Confidence at work, confidence ebbs and flows. And perhaps unsurprisingly, it crops up a lot in my coaching conversations.

Uncertainty is something that can impact confidence, and therefore it is no wonder that interviews can provoke anxiety.

We ask ourselves whether we're good enough? Or whether we'll be found out, and if we'll be able to answer every question. It feels like the ultimate exam, loaded with jeopardy and consequences, and because of this, compensating behaviours can take over:

• Over-preparing every possible answer

• Avoiding applying altogether

• Waiting until you meet 100% of the job criteria

• Staying in a job you dislike because it feels safer

The issue isn’t capability. It’s that confidence becomes conditional on certainty.

Career inertia - feeling institutionalised

I had one client who described themselves as “institutionalised.” In that moment, I felt a deep pang of sadness, and reflected my feeling back to her. What followed was a thoughtful exploration of what the word meant.

She spoke about feeling trapped, and went on to say how she thought her identity had been shaped by one environment. She recognised this offered safety, i.e., she knew how things worked, she knew the politics, she knew how to succeed, but over time that familiarity locked her into a psychological safety, which had become a cost, through containment.

It was powerful stuff. She couldn't see how she might be valued externally, nor how transferrable her skills were. Her sense of professional worth had become tied to one organisation.

It's no wonder she felt stuck.

Leaving her role didn't just feel like changing jobs. It was like stepping into the unknown without the 'institutional' proof.

Layered on top of this was growing burnout.

Before we started coaching, she had applied for a couple of roles on LinkedIn. No response. This became the proof she needed that she was 'not competitive externally.'

She stopped applying and resumed scrolling. When she saw roles, she would disqualify herself by not having done one of the JD requirements, or assuming the hiring team were looking for someone other than her, or convincing herself she just wouldn't get an interview.

This is how a lack of confidence turned into career inertia.

Burnout and self-doubt is a risky combination

Burnout creates urgency. But urgency without confidence creates paralysis and fear.

When we started coaching, we didn’t begin with interview techniques or CV changes.

First, we looked at times when she did feel confident, and I always find it absolutely fascinating to see my clients' reaction to this probe. It immediately brings a different energy and frame-of-reference to the conversation.

We explored what mattered to her, her values. For this client, 'learning' was a key demonstrable value. But through the job application process, she had framed it as a weakness, ruling herself out if she hadn't done something before.

But, she recognised how she thrived when stretched and this was a game changer. She realised learning wasn't a gap, it was a strength and it was her differentiator. That shift alone began rebuilding career confidence.

Redefining success to rebuild interview confidence

Another breakthrough came when my client stopped thinking about 'getting the job' as the marker of success, and started thinking about the things within her control.

She reframed success as being able to show what she can do, explain how she thinks, demonstrate how she learns, and being clear about who she is. Our coaching helped her become crystal clear about this; to own it and be proud, and to articulate it easily.

Once this landed, her behaviour changed and she started applying for roles more consistently. Rather than be defeated by non-responses, she accepted that sometimes applications is just a numbers game, and she stopped disqualifying herself prematurely.

She was thrilled to eventually secure a new role that included things she had never formally done before. Confidence grew not because fear disappeared but because self-trust increased.

The other extreme: over-preparation

Another client's lack of confidence showed up in a different way. It wasn't avoidance, it was over-preparation. They had had a number of difficult interview experiences which had shaken them deeply, so they responded by increasing control.

During an interview itself, she relied on 20 pieces of paper in front of her which included, 10–15 detailed STAR examples, scripted answers, rehearsed transitions, predicted questions, etc. So focused was she on delivering the “right” answer, she wasn't truly present in the conversation. Her answers became a performance.

In one coaching session, we spoke about some of her experience, and I was struck by how articulate, thoughtful and energised she was. I shared this observation.

They said, “Yes, but I’m talking to you.”

I asked, “What would it take to talk like this in an interview?”

And that was the prompt that resonated and unlock a whole host of ideas that helped my client move forward. They went on to:

• Trust their lived experience

• Accept they wouldn't answer everything perfectly

• Focus on connection, not performance

• Remember they were evaluating them

  
  

Interviews are not exams

People often approach interviews as tests to pass, but it is always worth remembering they are a two-way conversations (albeit an uneven 2-way conversation!)

But, they are a chance to:

• Get to know someone

• Explore how you think

• Demonstrate your impact

• Assess whether the role fits you

Once you can treat interviews like 'seeking to learn' conversations, confidence naturally expands.

How to build confidence in interviews and career decisions

Across different clients, I've collected a few principles that consistently bolster confidence:

1. When you know what matters to you, you can anchor your identity and what is important to bring to interview situations.

2. A lack of response on LinkedIn is data, not a verdict on your ability.

3. Success is showing up well. Offers are outcomes, not identity markers.

4. Prompts over scripts.

5. Stories over memorised answers.

6. Presence over perfection.

7. Confidence grows through action, not before it.

   
   

At its core, career confidence is about identity. The professionals who move forward aren’t fearless. They simply stop waiting for certainty. They trust themselves enough to act.

If you’re feeling stuck in the wrong job or struggling with confidence in interviews, I offer a free 45-minute Coaching Experience Call.

It’s real coaching not a sales conversation.

We’ll explore where you are, what matters, and what may be getting in the way.

You’ll leave with clarity and grounded direction, whether we work together or not.

Book your coaching experience call