Job-hunting is a lot like dating. When you’re job-hunting or when you’re dating, you don’t want to come from the place "Please, like me -- I beg you!" You can’t be needy as a job-seeker or a person on the dating scene.

 

A desperate job-seeker might elicit sympathy from an interviewer but they will not inspire confidence.

Here are five job search moves that signal desperation on a job-seeker’s part -- and that’s not good!

1 - Applying for lots of different jobs in the same organization. It’s a better idea to pick the job you are most interested in and/or most qualified for and pursue that opportunity first.

2 - Spending your interview time talking about how badly you want or need the job.

3 - Bringing past performance reviews to a job interview. Don’t do this -- instead, tell stories about the great things you did at your past jobs, and get your ex-bosses to write LinkedIn recommendations for you.

4 - Telling a recruiter or department manager that you’re happy to start at the bottom, take the lowest possible pay rate and work any schedule they might ask you to -- even before they’ve asked the question.

5 - As the interviewer describes the job opportunity, interrupting them to say "I’ve done that! I’ve done that too! I’ve done that for years." Take a breath, take your time and wait for the opportunity to tell one cohesive story about how your experience overlaps with the job description, instead.

Every interview will make you stronger. Keep in mind that you won’t grow your flame working for an organization that wants or expects you to beg for a job.

Those people don’t deserve you -- keep your focus on finding the people who do!