Here at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, we embrace the power of saying YES! It can open wonderful doors for you! But you shouldn’t say yes to everything, especially when you’re in the market for a new job. And while it’s great to show eagerness during the hiring process, there is such a thing as too eager—and it’s off-putting. It can even cost you the job. Nobody wants to hang around with the clingy person who incessantly calls/texts/shows up at the front door begging to be loved after the first date.

Your overeager habits might be turning off hiring managers if you:

• Say yes to anything and everything. Do you want to come across as a mindless android in your interview? Then by all means, agree to everything! Maintain that status quo! But if you want to come across as someone with fresh ideas who is ready to make an impact, you’d better speak your own mind. Show off your uniqueness. Offer ideas and solutions only you have. And negotiate that first compensation offer!
• Blabber on and on and on. You’re excited to interview, maybe even nervous, with some extra adrenaline in your system. This turns a lot of people into chatterboxes, suddenly unaware of when they should stop talking. You may ramble, veer off on a tangent, or start offering unprofessional information as the words tumble unchecked out of your mouth. Not only are you off base, but you’re disrespecting the interviewers’ time. Great interview answers are focused and concise. To get there, practice answering common questions ahead of time (especially that pesky, “Tell me about yourself”), and be able to quickly summarize your key accomplishments. Remember, if the interviewer tunes you out, you’ve lost the job.
• Push the hard sell. Simply put, an interview is about graciously selling yourself as the best person for the job, but you have to be careful not to oversell unless you’re applying as a used-car salesman. Let your greatness stand on its own, and let your accomplishments speak for themselves. Don’t repeat the same strength ten times. Don’t take on an air of desperation. Don’t brag about what a great catch you are. Answer the question, stay humble, and stick to the facts. Your greatness will stand out without you having to shine the Bat-Signal on it.
• Stalk them. Believe it or not, there is a professional protocol to follow after an interview. Even if you’re super excited about the best job ever, hit it home with a stellar thank-you note, and then wait. Yes, waiting is hard, but not every company makes a hiring decision in a week. People get busy, go on vacation, and so on. Hiring staff do not necessarily notify candidates who have not been selected to continue in the process. In any event, they will not appreciate your multiple emails, phone calls, or—goodness no—your showing up in their lobby unannounced. You presented your best show at the interview, and if you’re the right person for the job, that phone call will come. Your impatience won’t make it come any faster, but it might scare it off!

At the end of the day, you want to show eagerness about a job—it shows you want it, and will set you apart from lukewarm candidates—but you do not want to spill over into crazy eagerness. Don’t be the person who calls while driving home from the first date. Stay calm, show your stuff, and above all, remain professional. Set and stick to your boundaries, and trust that if you’re the right candidate, the interviewers know where to find you!