Hey Little Pineapple,

Every time when I have an interview, and I mean every time I always ask why someone is even interested in the role.

And as you can imagine people give various answers, but mostly they can be boiled down to 4 categories:

1) Role is logical next step in their career (bonus points if they can justify and show why)

2) They aren't really looking for anything, but have enough info (usually from me hehe) that it piqued their interest and they would like to find out more

3) They are looking for better paying gig

4) They are searching for months and they are looking for any gig at this point

And of course all of those can be true in the same time, but one of them is always driving the show.

And I know that because when I ask all the answers fall into those categories.

All this talk about growth, new challenges, having a role that's too small - it's all category 1.
Being open for new things without actively looking because things are "good enough" usually are folks in category 2.

Now, category 3 and 4 are the most interesting from our perspective, because they are also usually the ones who even though might be the most sincere, they are also the least attractive for potential employer.

Anatomy of motivation

Everyone, and I repeat everyone wants to work with people who are as excited as they are about the things they are doing in their department, company, project.

No one, and I repeat, no one wants a mercenary.

Sometimes they are lesser evil, a necessity. But no one really wants to hire them if they have other options.

Simple reason - they will ditch your ass the second something more lucrative comes around.

That's why even though we obviously work for money because well...no one will pay our bills but us, money angle is the worst possible thing you can say as a reason why you want the job.

And I'm not kidding.

Every time when someone says this point blank to me I nod, tell them I understand, but I am not betting money on those people because you can sense it throughout the process that they aren't really that interested. Sometimes at all.

And one of the indicators of potential good hire is how excited the person is about joining the team, the company.

You can check 100% technical requirements but I bet my ass you will most likely lose to a candidate who checks 75% and really goes an extra mile to show how much they want this gig.

Looking for job (please hire me)

This will piss you off. It pisses me off a lot.

But another type of person no one really wants to hire are people who wreak desperation.

And as much as I hate that, because sometimes people are just desperate as hell and they don't know what else to do, it is repelling.

And we can bitch about it all we want, but reality is you also don't like people who act like that.

I will explain why it hurts you during interview specifically in a second, but think about it, why we don't like desperation in social settings?

Anatomy of desperation

First of all because it often feels like transaction. When someone needs a validation of some kind it's hard to build a genuine relationship. You kinda feel you're being used for something.

It also projects this kind of "please fix how I feel" type of energy which feels super heavy on the receiving end. Who wants an instant emotional responsibility for a complete stranger?

It also signals weak boundaries because you basically say you'll accept anything. And on top of all of that we, as humans, are drawn to people who are selective, are okay with rejection, emotionally stable. We read them as safer choices.

Important thing to underline here - needing a job is absolutely ok, it is not a problem.

How you communicate this need is.

And in interviews?

When you seem desperate, three things happen simultaneously:

1. Interviewers assume you have no other options.
2. They worry you'll quit the moment something better appears.
3. They stop evaluating your skills because your nervous energy is louder than your experience.

And there's this vicious circle - the more you need the job, the harder you try.
The harder you try, the more it shows.
The more it shows, the less they want you.

Desperation flips the power dynamic in a way that's almost impossible to recover from.

And you don't want that. It's kinda like going to an audition instead of having a two-way conversation.

People are attracted to those who can walk away. Not because playing games is good, hell no.

But like it or not, the ability to walk away signals self-worth and choice.

Desperation says: “I need you to save me.”

Confidence says: “I’d like to work together if it makes sense.”

By the way, that's one of the reasons you really should take care about your job search ability before you actually need to use it.

So, why do you want to work here?

Let's examine how you can actually answer this question even if you really need a job (or maybe especially then).

Mistake #1 is making it about yourself.

Mentioning salary, flexibility, or just "needing a job" signals to a recruiter that you're not really interested in them specifically.

We obviously don't want that Little Pineapple.

What works instead is surprisingly simple.

Do your homework. Find one real thing - it might be a recent product launch, a company initiative, a value they publicly stand behind (i.e. I work at the company which heavily values animal welfare). Pinpoint it, specifically and out loud. Instantly, you stand out from 90% of candidates who give a generic answer.

Show it's a two-way street. Explain how your specific background helps them solve a real challenge they're facing right now. Not just what you want to gain - sorry to break it to you, but no one gives a shit about that. What they do care a lot about is what you bring to the table.

Keep it tight. Aim for 60–90 seconds. Long, rambling answers lose the room fast.

A formula that works:

"I've been following your work on XYZ. Your approach to [whatever you found online] is exactly the kind of environment where I know my experience in [your skill] can make a real impact."

That's it.

Specific. Genuine. Focused on them.

"But Patryk, what if there is not a lot of info about the company?"

Ok Little Pineapple, first of all - in my experience there is always something out there. Even if they have no website, they probably have some people on LinkedIn. They might have some articles about them in industry press. Maybe they were mentioned because they got great funding.

But, let's say there isn't.

If you don't know much about the company never (really, never) say "I don't know anything." Instead:

Try to pivot:"From my initial research, I was impressed by [X] and eager to learn more"

This of course requires bare minimum of research. So if you haven't done this there's one more ace up your sleeve and reframe.

Simply put - turn it into a question: "I'd love to hear what challenges the team is currently focused on"

And two things might happen here - you actually got some control over the conversation, which is great + you might actually find out some useful things. This is a legit thing you should do anyway (ask about what challenges they are facing right now), but it works much better when you actually prepared, because you can connect the dots in your head. And you don't have to dedicate your precious mental resources for building the foundational knowledge.

Preparation is what separates someone who wants a job from someone who wants this job.

That's all from my this week Little Pineapple.

You got this,
Patryk
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PS
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​If you are currently looking for a job, but getting nowhere - that's exactly what I help people with.

Just reply to this email and let me know what's the situation. I read everything and reply personally.