5 tips to show you’re passionate in a job interview

Everyone has gone through a job interview. Before getting that job offer, each one of you has experienced the anxiety and uncertainty a job interview gives.

Of course, the best way to do well is to actually prepare for that interview. You have to research the company, arrive early, and prepare answers to the most famous questions. But sometimes, preparing those perfect answers can make a candidate seem stiff that it makes recruiters wonder if they’re really enthusiastic about the job.

How to show you’re passionate

Passion is one of the things recruiters look for. Aside from having the right skills to match, they want to see if you will be able to give that enthusiasm to deliver what the job requires. To show how passionate you are, here are 5 things you can do:

1. Know what you can bring to the table.

Knowing what sets you apart from the rest will help recruiters see value in you. Why should they hire you? What can you give to the team that others can’t? Knowing what your value is will show how willing you are to be part of the company and what your attitude will be once you get the job.

Your skills are just half of what recruiters look for. The other half is your attitude and your motivations for wanting to be part of the team. When you have a deep-seated reason for wanting to get that job, they will see that you are passionate and determined to perform well.

2. Align with the values of the company.

Different companies have different values. For example, a logistics company has a different set of values than a bank. While this does not mean that you change your values to fit the company, you should at least understand and strive to live by the values your chosen company follows.

Having aligned values will show that like the company, you are striving for the same goal. If the core value of the company is excellence, then you should be able to live out that value. 

3. Share your extra-curricular activities.

In your resumé, make sure that you allot a section that talks about your extra-curricular activities. These include volunteer work, organizations, groups, and other projects that you have spent time on whether it’s school-related or personal. Showing your involvement in a lot of things will help recruiters know that you always go the extra mile. And when you have done them for free, then they know that you’re the kind of employee who isn’t just looking at the paycheck.

4. Have a passion project.

Recruiters love people who have passion projects. Why? It’s because these project a person’s drive to do more than what is asked of them. It also shows how well-rounded a person is because they don’t just rely on an 8-hour job. While your recruiter will not judge you if your passion project has not yet earned thousands, they will definitely love the work you do for it.

5. Use the right body language.

And finally, you have to sell that you’re passionate. Your passion project and volunteer work will be less believable if you come up as shy and introverted. You don’t have to babble about your enthusiasm to them, instead have the proper body language to show it.

For example, when you smile when you talk about your experiences, show that you love the work that you do. When you also sit tall and talk with your hands, it shows them that you are not afraid to get the job done. Other non-verbal cues that show your passion are making eye contact, leaning forward, and nodding when the recruiter is talking.

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