For maybe two years of interviewing I was doing the thing where you say you're "really excited about the company's mission" and "passionate about growth" and all that. I'd research the company for an hour before every call, find something to sound genuinely enthusiastic about, rehearse a story about why their specific product aligns with my career goals. I thought that's just what you do.
Had a screening call a few months back where I was tired and kind of just dropped the act a little. The recruiter asked what I was looking for in my next role and instead of my usual answer I just said something like - I want stable hours, clear expectations from my manager, and work that I can feel good about at the end of the day. I'm not looking to change the world, I just want to do solid work in a decent environment. I honestly expected the call to end fast.
She laughed and said that was the most refreshing answer she'd heard in weeks. Moved me forward. Got to final rounds.
I didn't end up taking that job for unrelated reasons but I started doing the same thing in other interviews after that. Not being negative or checked out, just being straightforward about what I actually need to function well. Turns out a lot of hiring managers are pretty tired of the enthusiasm performance too. A few of them visibly relaxed when I dropped the corporate-speak.
I think the honest framing als o helps weed out bad fits on my end. If a company reacts badly to me saying I want clear communication and reasonable hours, thats probably useful information before I accept an offer. Anyway not a magic trick, just something that shited the energy of interviews for me in a way I didn't expect.