The process of applying for jobs can be so taxing that at the
end of a long day of searching, it’s pretty common to just
collapse from exhaustion. With so much work involved in the
process, it’s no wonder that some candidates can get a little
desperate.
If you feel you are in a position of desperation as you search for
jobs, you don’t want this to be obvious if you are called in
for an interview. So before you go in for the next one, let’s
explore some ways that you can saturate your interview with
self-confidence.
Don’t Show Up Too Early
This may seem like a strange request, but research shows that
hiring managers don’t care for the job candidate who shows up
for an interview an hour early. While you’re thinking that
you’re showing your interest in the job, you’re
actually showing the hiring manager that you’re a little
desperate – or worse, don’t respect him enough to show
up at the time allotted.
Think about it; the hiring manager is probably a busy person with
other meetings and candidates to interview. If you show up too
early, he will feel obligated to work with you despite the meeting
time you set up. This may not fair well for you in the long run. So
to avoid this desperate interviewing behavior costing you the job,
it’s better to not announce yourself until 10 minutes prior
to the interview time.
Try Not to Mention Your Personal Hardships
Another act that shows a bit of desperation on the job
candidate’s end is mentioning personal hardships in the
middle of the interview. For instance, if the hiring manager asks
you “Why do you want this job?” it may be tempting to
tell about how you were laid off, lost your house, and now
desperately need food to put on the table. It’s actually a
very compelling story and one that should probably be shared with
the correct party. However, that party is most likely not going to
be the hiring manager.
Another way to answer this question is to refrain from focusing on
the negatives of the experience. While you can share that you were
laid off, you can also share how you’ve grown from the
experience and feel that a difficult situation such as this has
left you in a great place to contribute even more now that
you’re stronger. In other words, you can use this opportunity
to be even more upbeat and show your resilience.
End With a Firm Handshake
While you want to showcase that you are happy to have been granted
the interview, you also want to display confidence. And believe it
or not, a sign of weakness for many lies in the handshake. If it is
weak, you may too seem weak. However, if you end with a firm
handshake and feel comfortable looking into the interviewer’s
eyes, you will appear much more confident than you think.
It’s not always easy to avoid feeling desperate when you
don’t know where your next paycheck is coming from. But if
you can swallow your anxiety for an hour or so while interviewing,
you may alleviate the stress of the job search permanently by
becoming once again employed.
