Confidence vs Competence

Do we truly understand everything we include in our resumes? In a perfect world where resumes accurately show one's abilities, would you be hired?
Those questions overwhelmed me day and night. It wasn't because I lacked skills, but because I lacked confidence in those "skills." Then, something changed. A recruiter, one of the best I've ever met, told me, "We are not looking for an extremely skilled person for this job; we are looking for someone with the right values, personal involvement, and readiness to meet our expectations."

Most of the time, recruiters mix up the need to find the right person for the job description with the need to find the right person for the team. On the other hand, candidates like me try to meet "expectations" that we assume.

Let's break it down and discuss what we should do when looking for a job:

Be genuine.

Just say, "I really expected a higher salary," it's okay. Recruiters won't reject you just because you expected more.
Just say, "I don't want to do the same tasks for the first three years of my career," you never know where it might lead you.

Being genuine also means expressing your uncertainties to maybe find answers. Have you ever heard of someone being rejected because they fear the company's product might fail? Or because they think competitors are better?

Unless you're a really poor communicator, you can express your thoughts about the company even in the first interview, and no one will blame you.

Personal experience counts.

Never underestimate your personal experiences. You never know where saying, "In my family, I'm always the one who organizes every party," might lead in a conversation.

Always remember that your resume is just a resume. When recruiters ask you to "present yourself," don't just repeat what's on your resume—they already know that. They want to learn about who you are as a person, not just the "full stack developer" you are.

Give actionable tips even when uncertain.

In many situations, you won't always know the answer. Don't try to make something up. If you're unsure, offer tips, questions, and processes to address the issue. For example, if they ask, "How would you handle an unsatisfied client?" and you've never experienced that, be practical. Provide brief steps and a strategy to demonstrate your ability to manage the unknown.

I want to share a simple idea: if you don't try new things, you'll never reach your goals. Be yourself and tackle whatever you're asked to do with genuine effort, without overdoing it.