How to resign yourself to career disappointment.

June 25, 2010 2:02 PM

How do you pretend to be excited about job opportunities that don't excite you?

I have been job hunting in a new city for a few weeks. There are some open positions in fields that interest me, that I'm qualified for, and that I am enthusiastic about.

Unfortunately, nothing has come of my attempts to apply for the types of jobs I would love. Instead I'm at the point where I'm starting to get desperate, so I asked my small network to let me know of anything that comes up.

The only leads I get from networking are things that I know I wouldn't be happy doing for very long - yet the interviewers clearly expect me to be excited about doing customer service, data entry, etc. and ask "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?". I don't know how to answer them.

When faced with the prospect of getting stuck in a mundane and low-paying job, I can't get excited. I try hard to be honest with people and hate lying about my intentions. If the pay was good at least I could express real enthusiasm for some aspect of the job, but at <$25k I feel worthless and trapped (I have a B.A. degree and a few years of experience in my field of interest). In this town it's barely enough to scrape by on, and while I'm willing to scrape by for a job I want, I get panicky thinking about that kind of salary for a job I dread.

I'm not as picky as I might sound - I have applied for 80+ jobs over the past few weeks, jobs I would be perfectly satisfied to accept. But none of those have called me.

Yet I don't have a choice about holding out much longer. I don't want to drain my savings while I wait for a job that meets my criteria.

In an interview, how do I feign enthusiasm for jobs I don't want? I'm terrible at lying. And how do I resign myself to the fact that I might not find anything better anytime soon?

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (16 answers total)

You can bypass the enthusiasm for the job. No one is excited about an entry level position. Instead focus on the possibilities that the open door will afford you. So, you can tell the interviewer that you look forward to, in 5 years, using the valuable experience gained here to move up within the company to a higher position such as management. They're looking for people who show initiative and who aren't complacent.
posted by inturnaround at 2:05 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Imagine that the productivity boost from getting the job and not being unemployed anymore puts you in a situation where you are more focused and a tad more happy.

Then imagine that being more focused and more happy helped you find the job you really wanted.

Imagine that happening within a few months of taking the mundane job.

(This is exactly what happened to me. It felt great to walk out after three months, but it also felt great to finally have semi-meaningful work to do, and to be able to get out of the house, think about things other than employment, etc.)
posted by circular at 2:43 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Unless you're a professional actor, I think making facial expressions is just going to come off forced and grotesque-looking.

I don't think you need to fake enthusiasm. What they probably do want to see is that you have some qualification or reason for being there besides needing the money. Would you be able to think of some aspect of the job that you'd be good at? "I feel I'd be strong at X because of my past experience Y, Z and Q."

I think that will come across as "I want this job and I would be good at it." Also, if you bring up your experience, then you're maybe talking about something you actually do care about.
posted by drjimmy11 at 2:45 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Find something in the company mission statement or "about us" page that you can hang a little enthusiam on. Doesn't have to be your one true cause, but if you can find something to build some interest on you can fake it honestly enough. Lame examples: flipping burgers at McD vs BK. For McD then mybe you can get excited about one of the worlds best known brands, and be very interested in the work they do with the Ronald McD kids hospital thing. For BK maybe get enthused about their edgier image, the customer focussed "have it your way" concept and that umm grilling is a healthier option than frying. Reading up on the companies makes this easier. You will also find out things you hate of course, but look for something to find interesting and develop it.
posted by Iteki at 2:45 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Sorry, this situation sucks. Since you can't lie well, why not identify everything that does excite you about this prospect, then reword? The thing that you like can even be in comparison to your current circumstances. Not sitting around alone in the house every day = working in a team atmosphere like this one / working in such a people-oriented and interactive position.
posted by salvia at 2:54 PM on June 25, 2010

I wonder why it is that you're terrible at lying. Are you worried that if you feign enthusiasm for a job you dislike, they'll hire you and then you'll have to accept? Remember that just because you act enthusiastic about a job, doesn't mean you ultimately have to take that job. It's good to maximize your options. Get them to offer you the job, and then you can decide whether you want it or not.
posted by Tin Man at 3:13 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

"Telling people at networking events about the excellent entry-level job I had at Widgets & Co., and how everyone has to start somewhere."
posted by juniperesque at 3:25 PM on June 25, 2010 [2 favorites]

When I interview people, I judge their enthusiasm for the job by how much they've done their homework. People who really want to work for me know the organization well, and are familiar with past projects they might have been involved with had they been working here. They can also tell me what we're NOT doing that we should be.

No need to lie -- just be informed.

PS- The last job I interviewed for, I nailed the interview but said straight out: "I'm not sure that I'm what you're looking for. I strongly feel X, but can see that some in your organization feel Y. Please keep that in mind when you make your decision." I didn't get the job, but made the final 2 (out of several dozen), and got a later offer from the same company.

PPS- When I was hiring more blue-collar and retail jobs, the last thing I wanted to hear was, "In 5 years I see myself doing the exact job I'm now interviewing for." I asked the 5-year question not to have my ass kissed, but to better get to know the person. I'd rather someone say, "In 5 years I'm going to be the first human on Mars, and I've already started studying astrophysics to prepare" or something. Dreams and goals are more important in a potential employee than a burning desire to do whatever menial thing I'm hiring for. (Of course, some places are specifically looking for people who want to eventually move into management, so telling a little white lie ("I dying to manage a Starbucks just like you!") can also work to your advantage.)
posted by coolguymichael at 3:29 PM on June 25, 2010

PPS- When I was hiring more blue-collar and retail jobs, the last thing I wanted to hear was, "In 5 years I see myself doing the exact job I'm now interviewing for." I asked the 5-year question not to have my ass kissed, but to better get to know the person. I'd rather someone say, "In 5 years I'm going to be the first human on Mars, and I've already started studying astrophysics to prepare" or something. Dreams and goals are more important in a potential employee than a burning desire to do whatever menial thing I'm hiring for. (Of course, some places are specifically looking for people who want to eventually move into management, so telling a little white lie ("I dying to manage a Starbucks just like you!") can also work to your advantage.)

This is excellent advice. The "where do you see yourself in 5 years" question is one of those great open enders that can really set the tone for the interview and even the job. In a normal, healthy organization, being seen as having goals is a good thing. (Not so much in a sick environment.) And it lets the interviewer see whether the interviewee is a bullshitter or not.
posted by gjc at 3:53 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Realize that there are many companies/hiring managers who won't consider anyone who is unemployed. I read an article about this recently, but I can't find it on Google at the moment. I also spoke with an investment banker who told me that his company is effectively discarding the resumes of anyone who was laid off or is currently unemployed for any reason. The company is headhunting only those who are still working.

Remember this when interviewing for those less-desirable positions. Think of the position as a stepping stone towards finding a position in the field you really want to be in.

Good luck.
posted by LOLAttorney2009 at 4:00 PM on June 25, 2010

Ugh, I almost never ask entry-level people this question. "Employed, for fuck's sake" is pretty much the answer, and I know it.

I have asked similar questions to suss out whether someone is going to get permanently sulky the very first moment that they don't get their way. I have been told by applicants fresh of out college that they would expect to be promoted to a position with very significant primary responsibilities within a year. Or that they really only want to work for another 9 months because they plan to go back to school the following year and would want the summer off of course. Guuuh. No, I'm not going to hire someone who hasn't the faintest intention of staying in the job for the year it takes to bring them up to speed to actually do the job for which they were hired.

You can say "I don't know exactly, but I'm looking forward to figuring out where I'll fit in here and how I can [advance portion of mission] and learn more about [dept.]

You don't need to feign Happy! Enthusiasm! -- you just need to demonstrate that you are realistic, professional, and ready to work.
posted by desuetude at 4:02 PM on June 25, 2010 [4 favorites]

Note: The "5-Year Question" is corporate interview bullshit. Sorry, if you want to be on Mars in 5 years, then feel free to join Ziggy Stardust there.

There is no perfect answer to this question. This question is designed to test your poise when faced with a stupid question. The lame stock answer is: "Still working for your company (with feigned enthusiasm added)."

Actually, I've never heard a really decent answer to this question, in this thread so far, or in the real world.
posted by ovvl at 8:14 PM on June 25, 2010

I've been taking the, WOW, this is totally different from anything I've done before, I'm excited about learning something completely new! route. But I'm also a professional temp, when I'm doing office work, which means the interviews are probably less competitive than what you're facing.
posted by Ys at 8:18 PM on June 25, 2010

If you're not excited about the job and you don't get it, consider yourself lucky.

The jobs I've taken that I wasn't excited about ended up being soul sucking hell. The ones I really wanted were that ones that moved my life and my career forward.

You have some experience, but you may have to settle for a job that's the equivalent of starting over. You may have to take less money than you want. If it's what you want to do (and/or it's where you want to work), it's worth it.

In the dot-com bust days, I found myself unemployed with a wife and a newborn to support. It was very scary and I would have taken almost any job. I think I probably came across as desperate but not (the right kind of) enthusiastic in interviews. No job offers came through for six months. Fortunately one of my former co-workers hired me at a great company. The position was a step down in many ways but it worked out well in the end and led me to a much better place professionally.

I'm guessing you already know this, but network as much as possible. Ask friends, family, people you meet, everyone for leads on the position you want. Volunteer your time doing whatever it is you want to do for non-profits. Get involved in professional organizations. Hang out wherever people that do what you want to do hang out (Internet and physically).
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 10:35 PM on June 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

Tell you what: you'll be pretty damn excited about a PAYCHECK once you've been evicted and lost everything holding out for the dream job.

It happened to me, and I had to step back and rethink what actually makes me happy. Having a home ranks number 1, and I will work almost any job to keep it.

I got laid off in 2006 and again in 2008 and had to work some crap jobs to keep afloat. Eventually the crap jobs weren't enough and in 2009 I had to put all my stuff in storage (where it remains) and move in with my mother. Awful.

I've just moved into my own place again after 18 months of job/home purgatory. Lesson learned.
posted by kidelo at 5:16 AM on June 26, 2010 [1 favorite]

When I was hiring more blue-collar and retail jobs, the last thing I wanted to hear was, "In 5 years I see myself doing the exact job I'm now interviewing for." I asked the 5-year question not to have my ass kissed, but to better get to know the person. I'd rather someone say, "In 5 years I'm going to be the first human on Mars, and I've already started studying astrophysics to prepare" or something. Dreams and goals are more important in a potential employee than a burning desire to do whatever menial thing I'm hiring for. (Of course, some places are specifically looking for people who want to eventually move into management, so telling a little white lie ("I dying to manage a Starbucks just like you!") can also work to your advantage.)

Seconding this.

In interviews, I answered questions along these lines honestly: "In ten years, I'd like to be making a living off writing full-time. Until then, I'm happy to bring my skills to a workplace where they're needed."

Answering honestly hasn't stopped me from getting a job.

I wouldn't want to work in a place that discouraged me from having wider dreams.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:59 AM on June 26, 2010