I have never liked talking about myself. My dad attributes my reluctance to talk about myself to my “modest” character. I, however, do not think my disinclination comes simply from the fact that I do not want to be narcissistic. Sometimes I just do not feel assured enough to give a definite answer, and I would feel bad if I was disingenuous by misrepresenting the truth about myself.

This characteristic has followed me to college, and subsequently, to my jump into professional life. Discussions about myself and my interests, resume-making, and cover letter creation have been painful. I cannot help but feel phony by attempting to convey who I am and what experiences I have had and how I hope my future will play out in the best way possible. The “tell me about yourself” prompt always invites a slew of questions I ask myself. Who is asking the question? What do they want to hear? Should I mention xyz? I don’t even know about myself, so how am I supposed to explain that to another person?!

I could talk about my entire childhood and background and adorable youth… I mean, the interviewer did ask about me about myself! Isn’t this stage of my development relevant? (Hint: it is not).

My mom likened this question, always asked in interviews, to a sales pitch. “Selling” my story and my personality by making myself marketable and desirable as an employee essentially comes with the territory, she told me. This does not seem right either. Distinguishing between modesty and marketing yourself as a potential employee is difficult—how do you best express who you are, what your interviewer or audience wants to know, without inflating your accomplishments or fibbing?

I will admit that I sometimes downplay my accomplishments in an effort to avoid coming off as arrogant. That can be almost as damaging as talking way too much about yourself. I have since learned a few effective ways to put your best self forward without any dishonest padding. Enumerated in this list compiled by Forbes are a few good tricks about “How To Talk About Yourself In An Interview,” some of which I have discussed below.

1. Focus on what the employer is looking for in a potential employee. This does not mean divulging your entire life history; bring up relevant accomplishments, stories, and professional experiences that will show your employer how you could effectively contribute, should they hire you. Additionally, be sure to talk specifically about skills that pertain to this job.
2. Color your descriptions of yourself with specificity and success stories in past professional settings. “Using buzz words [like ‘hard-working’ or ‘detail-oriented’ in an interview should only be a jumping-off point for talking about a specific experience that will showcase your talents,” the Forbes article notes.
3. Be deliberate and selective. You will lose an interviewer if you give a laundry list of your accomplishments. Showcase a few tidbits and supplement them with “an example or two that lets you bring your experience to life.”
4. Do not hesitate to ask for help beforehand. Rehearsal with trusted family and friends who will give you constructive advice, discussion about what traits and achievements would be best to highlight, etc. can really help on the day of an interview!
5. (and this one is not on the Forbes list) Be sincere. I know from experience that you will feel much better coming out of an interview if you present yourself in the best way possible, but also if you talk about the things you truly believe would make you the perfect candidate. These things are usually include what you are most proud of yourself. And do not be afraid to share them—you are awesome, and a future employer should know it!