Part of the job of any headhunter is following up with candidates and clients after an interview. One of the more frustrating aspects of this part of my job is hearing from the candidate that the interview went well and then hearing from the client that the candidate had the right skills but was missing "something." This something inevitably turns out to be a lack of enthusiasm and motivation on the part of the candidate. What makes it frustrating is that the candidate is actually quite interested in the position and the company but is too nervous to express it or even worse, the candidate has the mistaken belief that by pretending to be uninterested or just gathering information they will appear more valuable. This falls under the category of "playing hard to get" which, while it may help you to find a mate it is generally a bad move when jobhunting.
There have been times when I have gone against my better judgement and recomended weaker candidates on the basis of their high motivation and enthusiastic attitude. These candidates, who may lack the required technical skills an employer is looking for, continue to outperform their quieter peers in interviews. I have had clients hire candidates based solely on their energy level in their meetings.
The hardest thing seems to be creating that level of enthusiasm and energy when you are not yet familiar with what the job is all about. You may be thinking that you are not ready to change and are just gathering information on what is out there. Regardless of your motivation in attending an interview it is in your best interest to present a motivated and positive attitude about the company and the position.
The first step is research, either the library or the Internet (my choice would be the Internet due to its convenience). Spend some time looking for information about the company in the form of corporate home pages, press releases and even stock market information. Everytime you come across something that looks interesting, write down a question related to it. Even the least energetic of candidates can fake it by asking questions.
The next step is to go out and talk with your friends about the upcoming interview and opportunity. Tell them the job title and what you found out on the Internet and ask them what they think. You may be surprised at the wealth of information your acquaintances have been hiding. Speaking to your friends may also help if they are able to imagine some exciting possibilities related to joining your prospective employer. If they get excited about it you will start to feel more enthusiastic yourself. It is true what they say about excitement being contagious.
Ultimately, any employer is going to be more interested in an employee that is truly interested in working for their company. If you are able to generate a reasonable level of energy in the interview you will give the impression of that interest as well as being a hard worker and a self-motivated individual.
