Gen-Y employees have often been stereotyped as being too entitled. Many coworkers and managers feel that the younger generation out there just think too highly of themselves.
This might seem counter-intuitive to most of us. After all, we have been told to act confident, and always claim what we are worth. And we somehow always feel we are worth a lot! While we should always be confident of our abilities, we should also know how to present ourselves. In many a case, our sense of confidence is ill-founded, misplaced and misguided. And there's no worse time for this to unravel than during a job interview.
The Smug Machine
Being overconfident gives an interviewer an impression that you are smug and high-handed. Your manager will undoubtedly find out how qualified you are from your resume. Let your credentials, rather than your attitude, talk for you. Besides, you won't want to work with some one so stuck up, would you?
Little that you Know
Carrying yourself around on a pedestal often leads to overestimated impressions of yourself. You assume that you know a lot more than you actually do. This leads to you to discount others' opinions and refuse to acquire new skills and techniques. Why better yourself when you are already the best! But, watch as this facade comes crashing down when the interviewer throws in a few painful questions.
Better than the Rest
Overconfident candidates often assume that they are better than others who will apply for the position. This is a dangerous thought to get used to. You do not even know the other candidates who are appearing for the interview; so, how can you assume you will top them all out? More importantly, this notion will lead you to take the interview way too easily. You probably wing it without doing any research on the employer.
What they need
Overconfidence also leads to self-indulgence. You begin placing too much of importance on yourself and your needs. This will be clearly visible during the interview, where you will try to dictate terms for what you want. You employer is looking for a certain person, with a specific set of skills, who can fulfill specific responsibilities. If you focus too much on yourself, you will end up neglecting the unique skills the employer looks for in you.