Give ‘humorbragging’ a try in your next job interview or sales pitch

Are you heading into a job interview, meeting a new boss, pitching to potential investors or stepping into another situation in which you need to impress — but don’t want to sound arrogant or conceited?

Consider humorbragging, a strategy in which you use self-deprecating humor, self-awareness and vivid storytelling while crediting yourself with traits like resilience, leadership, teamwork and innovation. Humorbragging allows you to promote yourself without turning off listeners. Instead of coming across as boastful or arrogant, you’ll seem relatable, likable and memorable.

Does this seem impossible? Imagine how you’d react to a job seeker who says the following:

“I’m known for catching mistakes early. My team once joked that I could spot a typo in a legal contract from across the room. To be fair, I also proofread the restaurant menus at lunch.”

“I’m a fan of tackling challenges head-on — like the time I volunteered to coordinate the office holiday party. Let’s just say I now understand why wedding planners charge so much!"

“I believe in team collaboration. My colleagues refer to me as ‘the project whisperer’ — though it might be because I bring snacks to every meeting I lead.”

A recent experiment shows how effective this approach can be. Two job seekers with similar names, skills, education and experience posted their resumes. The first presented himself in a straightforward manner: “I am a highly motivated and detail-oriented sales representative with experience and a proven track record of people skills. I look forward to supporting your company’s goals dedicatedly.”

The second added a dose of humorbragging: “I am a driven sales representative who is detail-oriented and passionate about serving your company’s goals. I have a proven track record of turning caffeine input into productivity output. The more coffee you can provide, the more output I will produce.”

The result: The second applicant’s personal website received three times more traffic than the straightforward competitor and 1.5 times more recruiter contacts.

Are you ready to give humorbragging a shot? Here’s how, along with guardrails to keep in mind.

Make yourself the target. Chose a strength that aligns with your audience’s needs, then weave it into a short, self-aware story. For example: “People say I have a knack for solving puzzles. My colleagues call me a ‘walking algorithm,’ though I’d argue that algorithms don’t need coffee to function. I’m not perfect — I once fixed a system bug that had stumped the team for weeks, but I also spent 20 minutes last week trying to fix my Bluetooth headphones before realizing they weren’t turned on.”

Don’t punch down or sideways. Even if a joke seems funny, avoid humor that critiques others. For example, a job seeker who intended highlighting his ability to handle stress by describing his last job as “like musical chairs except the music never stopped and there weren’t chairs” risks alienating prospective employers.

Self-enhance without over-minimizing. Humorbragging should make you approachable, but don’t downplay your accomplishments to the point of undermining them. The goal is to balance credibility and competence with relatability.

Start small. Next time you’re in an interview, giving a presentation or drafting a CV, try brainstorming one memorable, fun line that showcases your strengths. Who knows? Your humorbrag might be what your audience remembers most.