I know times are tough and I know it sucks to be looking for a job right now. The market is not in your favor. And because of that, you might have to put a little more effort in, even if you don’t want to.

I interviewed (as a potential business partner) for a role today. Of the three interviews, two were **very** enthusiastic, asked good questions and gave decent answers.

The other had low energy, had no questions for me (except about compensation which I have no idea about because I’m not the hiring manager or the recruiter) and just seemed put out by being there. He also seemed skeptical about my understanding of his job, which is a role I’ve supervised for the last 15 years, although I’m not in this scenario.

That guy was also the most experienced of the three and my least favorite of all of them; my recommendation was not to hire him. He probably did have the experience and maybe better skills, but I *don’t want to work with him*. And that matters more to me.

I’d rather teach somebody the skills and have them be pleasant to be around. To be clear this was a technical role, not in IT but adjacent. You might think that nobody can tell how you feel about them or the role or the company, but believe me when I tell you it’s not as hidden as you think it is and it does make a difference. For better or worse, being likable matters just as much if not more than being skilled.