Sugam Thapa, second-year student at KUSOM, dreads presentations, especially if they’re group presentations. She would rather present her ideas to a teacher individually, preferably somewhere quiet. This is because she feels extremely anxious speaking up in front of large crowds and can’t open up easily before strangers.

Does it feel like the world is tailor-made for extroverts? You can spot them everywhere, from the kindergarten pick up line to a networking event. It's no wonder that introverts can feel like they are at a disadvantage — especially when it comes to important social interactions. Take the job-search process, for example. It's so common for introverts to do a superb job at researching the position and polishing their resume. However, put them face-to-face with an interviewer — and suddenly they come across as unsure, timid, or even disinterested. Here are five practical tips to not only work around your introversion — but make it shine.