How to handle an interview out of my league Not sure how this happened but I will have a postdoc interview with someone prominent in many fields, prominent even at their already prominent university, and who publishes in top journals with astonishing frequency.

How should I handle this interview knowing (and I do know) that I do not have the best CV they've ever seen? I don't want to talk excessively about all my skills or be vague about the shortcomings of my work in the (frankly unlikely) case that they do hire me and are disappointed that I'm not a superstar. But I also don't think these people are particularly swayed by the argument that I am a quick learner, etc, etc. I also do have some reasonable circumstances why my CV isn't what it could be, but I don't think they want to hear about that either.

What sort of balance should I strike? Or am I overthinking it?
Be happy for the opportunity to meet with the PI who's invited you for an interview, and go to the interview with an open mind and attitude. Answer questions you receive honestly and without artifice. Show rather than tell your enthusiasm for what's going on.

What's important is what you can do in the lab, and how you go about doing it. You might have a unique capability or perspective to bring that you don't know about it. Maybe your references are better than you think they are (and by extension you're undervaluing your skills!).

And try to avoid the impostor syndrome trap.