When a company looks for a new hire, they want assurance that that candidate actually wants to be there.
Nearly half, 47% of hiring managers say a candidate’s enthusiasm about the job is the most important factor when considering them, according to a recent LinkedIn survey of 1,024 hiring managers. A similar number, 46%, ranked the quality of a candidate’s responses as critical, and 45% highlighted their soft skills. On the flip side, 54% of hiring managers say that a lack of enthusiasm for the job can prevent candidates from moving forward in the hiring process.
“If you have a ton of different human beings with whom you can work,” says LinkedIn career expert Drew McCaskill, “and you get the chance to choose, you’re going to choose the ones who show you that they are engaged.”
Here’s how to show that enthusiasm.
‘I’m going to put my best foot forward’
There are all sorts of little ways to prove you’re interested in the role during the interview process.
“I’m going to show up looking like I would on my first day of work, even if it’s on video,” says McCaskill, “I’m going to put my best foot forward. I am going to be engaged. I’m going to know about the company.” He also recommends asking the interviewer questions about the role.
While much of this comes down to professionalism, it also proves you want to make a good impression so they truly consider you. McCaskill also recommends sending a thank you note after the interview. Snail mail is a nice touch, he says, but there’s a chance they won’t receive it. No matter if you go the physical or virtual route, “use the note to reinforce your interest and why you’d be a good fit for the role.”
“Old fashioned is kind of tried and true,” he says of the practice.
‘You have to give them your why’
Perhaps the best way to let your interviewers know how enthusiastic you are about the job is to tell them directly.
“One of the things I tell job candidates is that you should not leave a job interview without expressing to that recruiter or that hiring manager that you really want that role,” says McCaskill. Explain how you, specifically, can contribute to the business and help the team achieve its goals.
And tell them why the role speaks to you. Do you connect with the company’s mission? Are you passionate about the problems it’s solving?
“You have to give them your why,” says McCaskill.
Want to land your dream job? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview to learn what hiring managers really look for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay.
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