Mastering the Balance: Confidence Gets You Noticed, Humility Makes You Memorable

In a recent GoCrackIt mentorship session, a candidate preparing for an HR Generalist role asked:

“Should I highlight everything I’ve done, or would that come off as overconfident?”

The answer? Confidence gets you noticed. Humility makes you memorable.

The real magic happens when you balance both.

Example 1: Sundar Pichai’s Google Interview

Let’s take an example of Sundar Pichai’s Google interview.
When Sundar Pichai interviewed at Google, he was asked about Gmail. The catch? It hadn’t been launched yet!
Instead of pretending to know, he responded with curiosity:
“I haven’t seen it yet, but I’d love to understand more about it.”
His confidence in his analytical skills and humility to admit what he didn’t know impressed the panel. Today, he’s the CEO of Google & Alphabet.

In one of our mock interviews, a candidate once walked into an interview with a 15-slide presentation about why he was the perfect fit. He knew every detail about the company and had solutions for every potential problem.
Impressive? Yes.
But when the interviewer asked, “What’s one area you still need to improve?”, he struggled. His answers felt too perfect, making him seem rehearsed rather than adaptable.
“Confidence is about preparation. Humility is about acknowledging growth.”
Interviews aren’t about proving you’re perfect—they’re about showing you’re capable, adaptable, and eager to learn.

Confidence makes you stand out, but humility makes you relatable. The best candidates are not those who claim to know everything—but those who are prepared, curious, and open to growth.
Have you ever witnessed the power of confidence and humility in action? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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