The Importance of Enthusiasm

So much of the hiring process is about instinct. Research shows that only 60% of any job’s requirements and qualifications need to be met in order to make a good hire but there are times when even the guy/gal with 100% on paper doesn’t get the job. Never underestimate the importance of chemistry and never ever take for granted that you need to demonstrate that you actually want the job during your interview.

In today’s recovering job market, it is still extremely important for those who are trying to return to the workforce and those who are currently employed to demonstrate appropriate energy and enthusiasm throughout the interview process because while there is certainly a bounty of new jobs out there now compared to the market 12 months ago, companies still have (IMO, legitimate) concerns about bad hires and fall offs. Companies have been making do with less for, in some cases, 12-24 months, so while there is a definite need, they don’t have to make an offer to the first qualified candidate. They have the ability to wait for the right candidate for the job. Therefore, as the job seeker, it is your responsibility to demonstrate that the right candidate for the job is you.

If you’re unemployed, that means:
► You are enthusiastic about this opportunity because it is a good match for your interests, skills and background, not just because you are eager to return to the workforce.
► Doing your research in order to demonstrate that you understand what the company does, you have enough interest in what they’re doing to ask thoughtful questions and you can speak directly to your ability and desire to contribute to what they are trying to achieve.
► Respecting your own value. Jobs are back in a big way but the days of massive signing bonuses, naming your price and demanding 12 month non-recoverable draws are still far behind us. I understand the temptation to take a step back in compensation given what you might be hearing out there, but if you are willing to take a 50K cut on your base salary today, what’s to keep you from taking the next job that would get you back up to where you want to be tomorrow?
► Keeping your hand in. Whether you’re out of work for six weeks or six months, it is important to have a good answer to the question: so what have you been doing since you left your last position? The best place to answer this question is on your resume but if you have not had the opportunity to take up temporary work in your industry, you should be networking with your contacts, remaining involved with industry organizations and doing what you can to develop your knowledge and skills.

If you’re currently employed, that means:
► Remembering that you are very possibly interviewing against at least one person who is currently out of work and understanding that your level of enthusiasm about making a change, your level of investment in the interview process, is being compared to the enthusiasm and investment of someone who has more at stake than advancing his/her career or obtaining a bump in salary.
► Doing your research in order to demonstrate that you understand what the company does, you have enough interest in what they’re doing to ask thoughtful questions and you can speak directly to your ability and desire to contribute to what they are trying to achieve.
► Being realistic. If the last time you took a new position was pre-September 11th, this job search has probably already felt like a rude awakening. You need to be sure that you’re making a change because you want to and that you’re doing it for the right reason—kicking the tires as we like to say in recruiting, is not going to get you very far in this market. You need to be committed to making a change (you have made good faith efforts to address the issues that are causing you to look outside of your organization), cognizant of the fact that your ‘worth’ needs to be relative to what’s going on across the market (don’t sell yourself short, but don’t expect the moon either), and aware that accepting a counter offer signals your company that it’s time to start looking for a replacement (you have broken a sacred trust; prepare to be part of the next round of cuts because now your boss thinks every dentist appointment is a job interview).