"I want this job!"

Have you ever walked out the door after a successful interview and felt like you had just set the world on fire? Or maybe even before getting home from the interview you got a call from your recruiter letting you know that the employer was ready to hire you immediately? If you’ve been in this position before you certainly can relate to the true sense of satisfaction you got knowing that all your preparation and attention to detail during the interview really paid off. If this hasn’t happened for you yet, chances are you might have missed something….like asking for the job.

When wrapping up your final interview with a prospective hiring manager, you need to let them know you want the job. In fact, you should let everyone involved know. This doesn’t mean expressing that you were “somewhat interested” in their position. It means telling them that you have your mind made up and you want the job. This, my friends, can turn out to be a very big deal.

I just offered up two very different points of tone and perspective. The first example was very weak and non-committal. The second was bold and forceful, removing any possibility of doubt.  In order to give yourself an added advantage you must leave the impression that you are decisive and know exactly what you want. If we look at this  in terms of “high school courting”, every kid with a crush on someone else is anxious to know whether that other person is interested in them first before making any advances. Employers are no different. If they have several options of whom to hire, they may just lean towards that candidate who has expressed the most interest. Time is money to them and the last thing they want to do is aggressively pursue people who may not be ready to commit. Don’t be that person.

Ultimately, it’s my belief that candidates who conclude their interviewing with a sense of certainty are the same ones that tend to walk away with both the job they want and the compensation package they were looking for. Be sure that you show some boldness, initiative, and the ability to make quick decisions by telling a prospective employer that you are impressed with the opportunity and would love to join the team.  And once you do, you will walk out of that interview with a smile on your face because your phone will probably be ringing in no time! 

Gary