How to Avoid Looking Desperate When Applying for a Job

When you are looking for a job, you naturally want to show your interest and enthusiasm. But after a long and difficult job hunt, and a lot of rejection along the way, that enthusiasm could turn into desperation, making you come across during an interview as a little too eager for the job.

Showing desperation is something you obviously want to avoid. It reveals a lack of poise and confidence that doesn’t look good to any employer. As a result, there are certain actions that you should avoid because they smack of desperation.

The first thing to watch is your attitude. You need to try and maintain an optimistic outlook. If you allow yourself to become gloomy or melancholy, that will show through during an interview, no matter how you try to cover it up. This attitude often results in complaining, which doesn’t look good to any is a negative in the eyes of the interviewer. 

Another thing to avoid is expanding your job search, considering jobs that are really outside your area of interest or expertise. This also is a sign of desperation. What you need to do instead, is to state clear goals and objectives for your job search, the types of jobs you really are qualified for, and follow up on those.

You also don’t want to send out generic, scattershot emails to everyone in your network asking them if they know of any jobs. This also smacks of desperation. When you communicate with people, it must be on a personal level, with a clearly defined objective.

Another sign of desperation is a reluctance to probe interviewers about issues at their company because you are afraid you might upset them. But this is never a good strategy for several reasons. First, you need to find out as much about the company as you can to make an informed decision as to whether you want to work there or not. Also, asking hard questions shows the employer that you are thinking critically about the company, its needs and problems, and how to tackle them. That, more often than not, will impress the employer.

Also, it is always a good idea to follow up after an interview. But you need to be careful because you can go too far here by constantly badgering the hiring manager. This too is a sign of desperation. The best course of action here is to establish when and how you will follow up during the interview.

If you’ve been job hunting on your own for a position within the insurance sector and have had little luck, consider registering with a staffing firm such as Insurance Relief™. Insurance recruiting is all we do, so we’re experts at it and have solid contacts with some of the best insurance companies in the country. Contact us today.