How to effectively communicate "I really want this job!"

Whenever I hear a candidate say something along the lines of "I reaaaaallllly want this job - what do I need to do to let the employer know?!?" it actually panics me a little.  There is a good chance that the employer will simply hear that you want "a job" and not necessarily their job.  It is a subtle difference, but could be the tipping point that makes the employer think you are overzealous and not really the best match.

So what is the most effective way to let the employer know?  Here are a few simple ideas:

1) Ask leading questions.  Find out details about the organization and the opportunity and then cater your answers and presentation to those details.  Far too often candidates are asked questions, provide too lengthy of an answer, and then ineffectively project their experience on the job before they even know much about the job.  One of my pet peeves is when I get an email from a prospective candidate that says they are PERFECT for the job, even before talking with me.  How in the world can they know that?

2) Ask direct questions regarding timing, next steps, how many candidates are in the process, etc.  This is also an area where you can over-do it, but far too few candidates get any relevant information out of the employer regarding these topics.  If an employer intends to take six weeks to interview a minimum of ten candidates before making a decision, it does you no good to proclaim to the hiring manager that you really want the job and hope they call back in a day or two.  If you don't have all of the facts, you can't properly manage anyone's expectations.

3) Be objective and don't over-sell yourself.  If you are absolutely convinced that you are the best match for the role, then use undeniable facts and truth.  Not just excitement and emotion once you find out they provide free drinks in the cafeteria for all employees.  When the facts support the emotion, that is when you usually do have a good chance of selling the employer on the idea of you.  If you start with facts, you can even add in a little emotion so that the employer knows you are committed to the process.

4) Use your recruiter to help send the message.  If you actually trust your recruiter (which we hope is always the case with us), then it can be an incredibly effective communication tool.  We get to know our candidates very  well and have multiple conversations with them over the course of time.  Employers know that and often ask us after an interview what the candidate had to say.  If the information is consistent and accurate, we can participate in the conversation to let an employer know the interest level is high.  Then it is not just based on emotion five minutes after an interview.

At the end of the day, it is a wonderful thing that you really want the job.  Employers are not just looking for good technical expertise these days, but also good culture matches and employees that are anxious to have an impact for their organization.  Just remember to balance emotion with fact and you should be in good shape!

Any other ideas out there regarding the best ways to communicate this message?  I would love to hear them all!