How to Get Your Foot in the Door for a Job You Are Passionate About

Landing a job you’re passionate about can boost your career and job satisfaction. Often, this means finding a role that lets you use skills or handle tasks that you genuinely enjoy, even if they’re challenging. Additionally, positions that align with your values, provide you with the right degree of work-life balance, come with fair compensation, and offer opportunities to grow and advance are usually critical parts of the equation.

Exactly what that job looks like will vary from one candidate to the next. When you find yours, going the extra mile to ensure you can get your foot in the door is essential. By highlighting your enthusiasm throughout the hiring process, you’ll have an easier time. Here’s a look at how to showcase your passion to a potential employer.

How to Highlight Your Passion in Your Resume

Start with Research

Researching the prospective employer and the exact job can make it easier to demonstrate your passion for the opportunity. You can work details into your resume that are specific to the company. Additionally, you can mention organizational achievements you learned about in your cover letter, letting you show that you aren’t just interested in the job but the company itself.

Create Alignment

After learning about the organization, you want to create alignment. Adjust your resume and cover letter to speak to that hiring manager’s precise needs. For example, use the same words and phrases featured in the job announcement. You can also discuss culture points you’ve learned about on the company’s website, mentioning any keywords that stood out during your research.

Use Power Verbs

Power verbs make your resume more impactful. The language is highly definitive, and it’s designed to grab attention. Plus, it makes understanding the context of any listed achievements easier for the hiring manager to grasp, allowing them to envision your role in those accomplishments with greater ease.

How to Showcase Your Passion During an Interview

Showcase Relevant Achievements

When you answer interview questions, focus on being achievement-oriented. When you discuss having a skill or specific type of experience, backing it up with an example allows you to show the hiring manager instead of merely telling them, which makes a difference.

Mention Related Hobbies or Side Projects

Along with formal work experience, discussing relevant hobbies or side projects lets you show that your passion for your field extends beyond the workplace. That often impresses hiring managers, as it makes your enthusiasm clearer than talking about work-related experience alone.

Close Out with Intelligent Questions

When the interview comes to an end, you usually have an opportunity to ask a few questions. By using this time to dig into the nuances of the role or company’s culture and future, you’re clearly demonstrating your interest. It makes you seem engaged and enthusiastic, which works in your favor.

Send a Thank You Email

Following up your interview with a thank you email lets you showcase your appreciation for the hiring manager’s time. Plus, it gives you a chance to reassert your interest in the job and company, removing any doubt from the hiring manager’s mind about your desire for the opportunity.


Ultimately, all of the tips above can help you convey your passion to a potential employer. If you’d like to find out more or are seeking new opportunities, the team at The Squires Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *