How to not appear uninterested in an interview

Question

I am a software developer and I have a job with which I am quite happy. However its not perfect, and there are things which I wish were different, such as a shorter commute. Recently I have had a company want to interview me, which is local to where I live, everything else about the job appears similar on paper. I have already mentioned to the recruiter than I am not really actively seeking to leave my current job but I would be willing to attend the interview.

So my question is, how do I attend the interview and not appear uninterested? How do I convincingly reply to the question of why I want to leave my current role? I do not expect to get away with, "erm.. I do not really but I just wanted to speak with you to see if your company could be a better fit" or "I want to have a shorter commute".

I feel this could put the new company off. Other reasons include slightly newer tech, greenfield projects, and mobile development in addition to web, which I like. But again, none of these are critical to me.

Edit: I am getting some comments along the lines of "don't go if you are not interested". So to clarify, I am interested, thats why I am going, but there are levels of interest. My interest is to find out if the company is similar to where I currently work, can offer me the same benefits and also is a shorter commute. But I am not interested in the way someone who does not have a job is.

Answer 1

Both of those reasons are valid, but your phrasing needs to be a lot more positive in tone. Try something like:

I really enjoy my current role, but I think that there are more opportunities for me here, and the shorter commute is a huge plus.

This, I think, is technically correct, doesn't trash your current job, appears keen and still gives you an out if it's not the right fit.

Answer 2

Be positive, but realistic.

There's nothing wrong with saying location is your primary reason for being interested. Commute times make a big difference in your life. Providing a real reason based on personal circumstances actually helps if they otherwise might wonder "Hmmm...I wonder why they are changing jobs at the same level? Is something going wrong?"

You ought to mention any positive aspects of the job you can and show that you are interested in the work, but there is no need to feign over the top excitement. Fake enthusiasm rarely seems genuine, and that's especially true if they see from your resume that your current position is quite similar.

Make the similarity of your current work a strength, not a weakness. This means you are a great fit for the position.

Answer 3

I would say, Say what you were going to say! (Though perhaps not the same way!) Honest and above board is almost always the best way to go. Honestly say that you would prefer to live closer to your job and that you believe their company may be a better fit for you personally. Something along the lines of,

Employer:

So why do you want to leave your current job?

You:

I'm actually relatively happy with the work at my current company, but I would prefer to have a shorter commute to work. I also think that your company might be a better fit for my [personality, skill-set, interests, etc.]

Bear in mind that employers are not always looking for the most dissatisfied workers on the job force. Being content in your current job is not necessarily a "con" to getting the job.

Answer 4

Not being unhappy with your job doesn't mean you are uninterested in theirs. Most companies prefer someone who is already a stable, employed employee for some other company, because then they don't have to be as worried about the candidate being on the market due to deficiencies. Recruiters consider the "passive, employed applicant" to be their favorite brand of candidate, for the most part.

So, "Why do you want to leave your current position?"

The answer could very well be "I don't, necessarily. I'm pretty happy with my current position, and have nothing bad to say about my current employer. However, I am open to the idea of a better opportunity or situation, and your company/position seems to fit that description."

So, instead of a message that communicates - "I'm interested in you because I'm dying where I'm at and want to leave," you're telling them "I have a great job with a great company, and, since I'm interested in talking to you about your position, it seems like you could be even better."

Answer 5

Sounds like you would only take this other job if it has all (most) of the pros of your current one, and none (few) of the cons. Fair enough.

You could put it exactly like that, then explain why you mostly really like your job, and then give the few things that you don't like. I think this won't go over very well, the interviewer might get confused and assume you basically like your job and don't want to leave.

Instead don't talk too much about your current job and focus on expectations. There are nice things about your current job that you like and don't want to give up. Okay, make a list of these. Say, 5 that are most important to you, or whatever number you think.

There are things that are not so nice, like the commute, that you want to escape. Okay, make a list of these also.

Combine both lists. That's your list of things to ask the interviewer about. When asking, disregard whether your current job satisfies each point - simply ask it as a desired feature of your potential new job offer. Then your situation is like any normal job-seeker with a list of things they want from their job, and a list of skills and abilities they can contribute in return. Sounding sufficiently interested shouldn't be a big problem.

After the interview is over you can decide based on what they say. If you like their answer to all of them, the job is clearly better than your old one. If the answer to all are bad, it's clearly worse. If only some are good, then fill out your checklist for the current job also, compare, see which one sounds better to you.