One of the things I that heard way too many times before I finally landed the job I have now is "You were great, but you're a little too much for us." That is so frustrating! I had big ideas; I did my research about my potential employers and I was enthusiastic and ready to get started. So why did my interviews so often end up with a pat on the back and the words "no thanks?" Well, it turned out the answer was that I was a little too gung-ho - in fact, I was so ready to work that potential employers were not even taking me seriously.

How was that for an awful problem? I was literally too enthusiastic, too informed and too ready to work hard and get results! Well, I had to do something, because I knew that I was highly qualified and, frankly, better than the people who were snagging "my" jobs. So I settled down, took a deep breath, and started practicing. I toned it all down. And what happened? I still didn't get any jobs! I spoke evenly and calmly. I paused to make sure that I was conveying my points. I did not laugh and rarely cracked a smile. Finally, one of my friends at a place where I applied told me that she had heard that I "didn't even seem like I cared."

So ultimately, I was caught between a rock and a hard place. If I was myself, I was overboard. If I toned it down, I didn't show that I cared. I was getting really frustrated. Fortunately, I had some good friends who were willing to sit down with me and analyze what I was doing. We determined that I did need a little less "bounce," but that did not mean that I should lose my earnest desire to better the place where I was working. I should speak clearly and calmly (and not laugh too much), but that did not mean I should never smile or express eagerness to learn and improve my working environment. Basically, I did need to tone it down, but that did not mean I needed to write myself out of my own interviews. After a lot of practice, I finally got it right. I think that people who do not have "big" personalities may not have this particular issue as much as those who do, but if you are struggling to land a job and have everything going for you, consider toning your interview style down a little and seeing how it goes.