Having an extravert personality type is often something that is misunderstood in our society, and the typical traits that are associated with it are what we are conditioned to think we should all adopt in order to be an attractive candidate at a job interview:  speaking in 'buzzword lingo' and using punchy statements about ourselves that make maximum impact and help us to stand out from the crowd, talking about all our great achievements, and why we are better than someone else. But the flaw here is that if this isn't your personality type, then you're not being authentic. And as you've probably read in my other posts, being yourself at interview is not only important for the employer to understand who you really are and what you're capable of and your strengths, but it's equally important for you to be aware of this. The person that will ultimately feel the effects the most of being mishired, will be you. This doesn't mean that you can't adapt your personality to ensure that you are able to be flexible around what a role involves, playing to your strengths and energising your 'non strength' areas via your high strength areas. But, it does mean that being authentic will pay off in the long run, in terms of placing you in the right role. So, how can you practise this authenticity, so that you can channel inner confidence at interview? Figure out what you enjoy and what makes you 'tick', and talk about this with friends. Try and think of a time when you were doing something at work, where the time just seemed to fly by without you realising it - here you were in your flow, and this is a great way to help figure out what you really enjoy. When you're at an interview, you can tell an interviewer what you enjoy, versus 'what you're really good at'. This way you demonstrate passion and enthusiasm, without actually sounding cliched with that overused phrase "I'm passionate about...' I really like what John Lees writes here about focussing on evidence, rather than ego. When you want to tell someone about a skill or a fact about yourself, tell them a story. We all love to hear stories, and they are remembered far much more than a set of skills. Many students (or anyone actually) get nervous at the thought of networking. So, take the pressure off yourself by appearing curious, than wanting to force your elevator pitch on someone. Showing genuine curiosity and interest, and wanting to hear what someone else has to say really gives a warmer feeling, and your potential contact will be far more likely to stick around and tell you about themselves. Then you can take the opportunity to use something they tell you as a 'hook' and pick up on this - for example a hobby you both enjoy, a company or person that you both know, and in turn, some of your strengths. This is a very good reason to have a life outside of work and pursue hobbies - they are great starting points for a conversation. 

That dreaded question 'So, what are you good at?' can be handled so elegantly with 'I'm fascinated with...' or  'I really enjoyed it when I...'. 

It's all about identifying skills and strengths required for a job, and then showing the best version of you, with you at your most comfortable and authentic. This is when we are at our best.