Employers are looking for drive, not just résumés. If you can’t prove you want the job, you’re not going to get it
Wanting “easy” is why most people underestimate the time and effort it takes to achieve success—whether that’s shooting a round of golf under 85, running a marathon, starting a six-figure consulting business, making it in Hollywood or finding a job that aligns with their career goals.
As white-collar jobs decline and competition for the remaining positions rises, a job seeker’s level of hunger becomes a crucial factor in their job search success.
A determined job seeker leaves no stone unturned. They hyperfocus on one goal: securing employment. They don’t point fingers or buy into the narrative that “the hiring system is broken.”
Worth noting: no two hiring managers assess candidates the same way; a universal “hiring system” doesn’t exist.
Hungry job seekers keep their eyes on the prize and do whatever it takes to acquire it. As Henry David Thoreau said, “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”
Many job seekers today conflate the competitive hiring climate with a broken system, especially as Millennials and Gen Zs begin taking on positions deciding who gets in. These younger generations bring new expectations around work ethic and professionalism. But that doesn’t mean the system is broken. Employers are responding to supply and demand. Hiring processes are evolving, not collapsing. Like generations before them, younger gatekeepers tend to favour candidates they relate to and who reflect their communication styles.
When interacting with recruiters and hiring managers, job seekers tend to lead with their skills and experience. While these are important, they’re only the initial factors an employer considers. A candidate can possess all the qualifications but still lack the hunger for:
- The company and its values
- Their profession
- The industry
- Career progression
It’s a common misconception that hunger is hard to spot. Most hiring managers will tell you they recognize it when they see it; I certainly do. Hunger fuels a person’s drive to excel, whether it’s for career growth, financial security or to afford an annual European cruise. A candidate’s chances of hearing “You’re hired!” significantly increase when an interviewer sees that hunger and views them as someone with intrinsic motivation.
You’re probably asking, “Nick, what are the signs that a candidate is hungry?”
Actions speak louder than words. What a candidate does is far more important than what they say. Which candidate is hungrier?
Candidate A: Arrives 10 minutes early for the interview.
Candidate B: Arrives right on time or five minutes late.
Candidate A: Has grammatical errors throughout their résumé and LinkedIn profile.
Candidate B: Has an error-free résumé and LinkedIn profile.
Candidate A: Pushes back on doing a 45-minute assignment.
Candidate B: Welcomes the assignment to showcase their skills.
Candidate A: Doesn’t send a thank-you note.
Candidate B: Sends a well-crafted thank-you note with additional insights about their impact on previous employers.
Your actions, especially those visible to employers, reveal a great deal about your hunger and professionalism. No LinkedIn profile picture or banner? Not hungry. Only want a remote job? Not hungry.
A hungry job seeker can be identified by:
Their networking efforts.
Hungry job seekers constantly reach out to everyone and anyone because they understand that job opportunities are everywhere. But they know those opportunities are attached to people so they build relationships.
Including a cover letter.
Not including a cover letter is lazy. Hungry job seekers leave nothing to chance; they include a letter that gives employers a compelling reason to read the résumé and visit the LinkedIn profile.
Showing evidence of impact.
Saying “I’m a team player” or “I’m good at sales” is just an empty claim. Expecting employers to hire you based on self-praise shows you’re unwilling to put in the effort to provide clear, measurable evidence of your value to previous employers.
They’ve crafted an elevator speech.
Writing and memorizing a 30-second elevator pitch, a summary of who you are and what you offer, is something most job seekers won’t do. When I hear a well-prepared pitch, I know I’m talking to someone who’s hungry.
The best elevator speech I received: “I sold Corvettes in Las Vegas.”
Not having a sense of entitlement.
Nothing turns off an employer faster than entitlement. Hungry job seekers understand they must earn their way through an employer’s hiring process. They don’t expect special treatment, exceptions or to be “given a chance.”
Due to the global economy and ever-changing consumer demands, companies are constantly striving to remain competitive and profitable by operating as lean as possible. The days of employers hand-holding their employees are long gone. Today, many workplaces follow a “swim or sink” culture. Astute hiring managers know that candidates whose actions show hunger are most likely to succeed—and stay afloat—on their own.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job.
The views, opinions, and positions expressed by our columnists and contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of our publication.
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