Michael Vaughn, a former public safety analyst, remembers when he was asked to put together a team for a 12-month project. “I had interviews – more like casual conversations – with about eight people and I only needed three,” Vaughn says. “Most of them had the exact same qualifications so to choose the final three, I basically used the same criteria I used when I managed a Subway – I invited the people who seemed like they actually wanted the job.”

Vaughn says his Subway experience, which involved hiring students from two nearby universities, taught him that the candidates who showed a little enthusiasm during job interviews made for better employees. “These were kids who were looking for some spending money but some of them treated the interview like they were on trial in a courtroom, like they were mad about even being there,” he says. “The kids who smiled and seemed at ease were just a lot easier to hire.”

If you’re looking for an edge over other candidates in your job search, consider ramping up your enthusiasm when discussing the opportunity with your potential employer. Here are some tips to help differentiate yourself from your all-business counterparts:

Make a confident interview entrance: First impressions matter, whether with the front desk receptionist or with your future CEO. If you had a rough commute to the interview, duck away into a bathroom to freshen up. The sweaty, disheveled interviewee begins the process 100 yards behind other job applicants.

Make eye contact: It seems so simple but most interviewees would be surprised at how often they look away from their interviewers. If you feel uncomfortable looking directly into someone’s eyes, pick a spot nearby, like their nose or forehead. You should always be certain that the person you’re speaking with knows that they have your undivided attention. An occasional glance away or down to your notes is one thing but that faraway look in your eyes while you stare out the window at the parking lot is probably a sure-fire way to let your recruiter know that you’re not interested in the job.

Be mindful of your body language. Sit up straight, shoulders back, head up – yes, all the things your teacher told you to do back in second grade still apply. Don’t be fooled by today’s casual workplaces. Managers still want workers who look the part.

Be happy. Those monotone answers you give your mother when she asks you when you’re going to move out of her house won’t cut it with your potential manager. In the job-search context, the inability to crack a smile doesn’t make you mysterious or interesting, but it might just make you less hireable.

Say that you want the job. All the qualifications in the world may not be enough to merit a job offer if your interviewer thinks you’re going through the motions or checking off a few obligatory companies before settling on your dream job. Before the interview ends, let them know in no uncertain terms that you want the job.

Tribune News Service