Do you think it’s better to show a lot of excitement during interviews, or is a more reserved approach smarter? I’ve been holding back on enthusiasm, thinking it might help me during salary discussions later, but I recently got feedback that I didn’t seem interested enough. It feels like interviews have become more personal now. Lately I’ve been asked about hobbies and travel plans, which throws me off a bit. Are you noticing this shift too? How do you balance being professional while staying relatable?

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Be yourself.

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For real these bs companies be wanting to much 4 interviews just to tell you no they can F off

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Read the room and react accordingly. If the interviewer is a chatty Kathy or glad-hand Greg. play along. However, always remember to get back to the pertinent parts as soon as possible. Practice your segues. "I had a double bedposts split the other night at league and needed three of the four pins to take the win. It reminded me of the time I had four clients call me within five minutes of each other, all demanding immediate attention. However, in the work case I was able to pick up the 'spare.'" Stuff like that.

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I try to land somewhere in the middle, where I hopefully come across as professional but not a total automaton. I've only had a handful of interviews recently, so I'm not sure how my experience compares to others', but I seem to be getting more "Tell me about yourself" type of questions. I usually just talk about vacations, my dog, and hobbies, like playing piano and gardening.

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I've struggled with this recently too. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and I am nervous that that's been negatively impacting my interviews. It's hard though because I hate having to pretend to be stoic and Idk if that method really works either. Tbh I think being yourself is probably always the best route, and not being too hard on yourself if you don't land the job because you know you were yourself.

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In a previous life I had worked in Sales for roughly ~8 years. In my experience, landing somewhere in the middle during interviews is usually your best bet, but you should consider who you’re talking to at the time and read their body language, as well as consider the industry you’re interviewing for.

Some industries would prefer someone more stoic and dry, while others may prefer someone who is more animated and outwardly enthusiastic. It may even be worth you asking the hiring manager to describe what of personas they interact with regularly to get a better idea of how you may end up conducting yourself if you were to land a role with them to see if that would work for you.

Being a “chameleon” is a common trait of many successful sales people, but it’s also important that when interviewing for a sales role, that you can still mostly be yourself so you don’t find yourself masking more often than not in your day-to-day, which can lead to burnout faster.

TL:DR; it can vary depending on the industry. There’s value behind being able to pull off both, but try to find role that closely matches who you naturally are to avoid potential longterm burnout.

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I think that has to do with wording your answers. Shalom you're loved 💔

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On a personal level, after being unemployed for almost a year. Doing 1099 work and part time work, what secured the position I hold now is being highly recommended by another professional with clout with the hiring manager. That’s how I have secured two job in my job history. Having the right connections helps tremendously. Although my work history can speak for itself, it wasn’t enough. Sad but true. Nowadays competition is tough. Since all high tech companies have let go of their talent, these potential employees are highly desirable versus someone like me.

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Most often hiring teams are looking for a new hire who not only fills holes in expertise and skills but also is a team player and personality and interests are a good fit for the existing team. Not easy to determine in an interview where the candidates are role playing and not being their true selves by reading the room and projecting a personality that they think will get them hired. If landing that job is not a financial or health coverage or any other imperative, then being oneself as the interviewee is crucial so there is a good fit on both sides without the candidates being anxious and stressed out all the time by always being someone that they are not once hired. Leads to happier less stressful workplaces all around. Easier said than done, though, especially if the candidates are between jobs and competing with many other talented candidates for that one job.

Most often hiring teams are looking for a new hire who not only fills holes in expertise and skills but also is a team player and personality and interests are a good fit for the existing team. Not easy to determine in an interview where the candidates are role playing and not being their true selves by reading the room and projecting a personality that they think will get them hired. If landing that job is not a financial or health coverage or any other imperative, then being oneself as the interviewee is crucial so there is a good fit on both sides without the candidates being anxious and stressed out all the time by always being someone that they are not once hired. Leads to happier less stressful workplaces all around. Easier said than done, though, especially if the candidates are between jobs and competing with many other talented candidates for that one job.

I believe in during the interview process body movement can also represent your enthusiasm or lack of for that matter, The "sit up" gesture can extrude a positive attitude as the arms folded can be a red flag, it's crucial to consider other body language cues and the overall conversation dynamic to accurately interpret the meaning.

How exactly would being reserved and not “seeming excited” about the job help with salary negotiations? Maybe I’m missing some important context, but negotiating salary should primarily be based on skills and experience as well as market trends. Showing enthusiasm for the role can only help with getting an offer not hinder it, then show you’ve done your homework in salary negotiations.

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