Everything you say during a job interview has the potential to help the interviewer understand your motivations for applying for the position and how your skills and experience would make you the most qualified candidate for the position.Â
Maintaining a positive and professional attitude throughout the interview can give the hiring manager confidence in your ability to fit into the company’s culture and add value to the company.
In this article are things you should try to avoid saying or asking during a job interview.
1. Anything negative about a previous employer or job
The interviewer may ask you questions like “Why are you looking for a new job?” or “What didn’t you like about your previous positions?” Answering in a manner that avoids saying anything negative about your previous employer or job can show your ability to remain professional and positive regardless of the situation.
Positive answers can also give the interviewer confidence that you will be a good addition to their company’s culture and that you probably wouldn’t say anything negative about them in the future either. When answering questions about your previous employer, try to focus on things the position you are applying for offers that your previous employer wasn’t able to do.
2. “I don’t know.”
The interviewer may ask you a question that you didn’t prepare for or that you don’t have the answer to. This can be a great opportunity for you to prove your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. You can try telling the interviewer you need a minute to think about your response or ask them for the additional information you need to put together an accurate response.
3. Discussions about benefits, vacation, and pay
An interview is when you want to focus on portraying why you are the best candidate for the position and motivate the interviewer or employer to make you a job offer. You should try to avoid asking about benefits, vacation time, and pay unless these topics are first brought up by the interviewer. Instead, try to wait until they give you a job offer before you begin negotiations.
Instead of explicitly asking about benefits, vacation, or pay, you can mention this conversation toward the end of the interview. This politely lets the interviewer know you still have questions about the benefits the position has to offer but doesn’t pressure them to answer those questions right away.
4. “It’s on my resume”
While the answer to the interviewer’s question may very well be written on your resume, you should always try to answer in your own words and provide them with more details. When your answer to a question is on your resume, it is likely the interviewer is simply looking for further information. Try to answer these questions by using specific examples that prove your experience or skills or explaining how your qualifications are relevant to the position.
5. Unprofessional language
It is very important to display your professionalism during the interview. One of the best ways you can do this is to use professional language. This doesn’t mean you need to use industry jargon, but rather that you should try to avoid unprofessional language, including slang, profanity, and filler words (“like” or “um”).
You are less likely to use unprofessional language during an interview when you slow down, take your time to think about your response, and focus on speaking clearly. You can also avoid using filler words by practising replacing them with a brief pause or deep breath.
6. “I don’t have any questions.”
Most interviewers will ask if you have any questions near the end of the interview. An important part of preparing for an interview is to think about meaningful questions you can ask the employer that will show your interest in the company or the position.
7. Asking what the company does
While you want to make sure you have questions for the interviewer, you should try to avoid questions about what the company does. Answers to this question can usually be found easily by researching the company and the position you are applying to. Try to have a clear understanding of the company’s mission, vision statement, and what they do to achieve them before your interview. Doing this will allow you to ask more detailed questions about the company.
8. Overly prepared answers or cliches
One of the best ways to prepare for an interview is to research questions you expect the interviewer to ask and put together answers. However, when using prepared answers during an interview, you want to make sure the answer sounds genuine. Many candidates will use cliches when answering common interview questions. During your interview, try to choose an answer that is honest and will make you stand out as a candidate. Instead of saying “My greatest weakness is that I’m a perfectionist,” which interviewers often hear, try to identify an experience you were able to learn from in your previous position.
9. Discussions about your lack of experience
If you are a recent graduate or changing careers, try to focus on the strengths you will bring to the position and how the experience and skills you do have will add value to the company rather than focusing on any weaknesses or lack of experience. When answering questions about relevant experience, make sure you mention transferable skills that will be beneficial to the role, such as strong communication, organization, problem-solving, and time management skills.
10. Irrelevant personal information
When answering interview questions, using specific examples and anecdotes can help you prove your qualifications and stand out to the interviewer. However, it is important to ensure the impression you are leaving with the interviewer is memorable for the right reasons. You should try to avoid using details about your personal life, such as information about your family or hobbies unless the information is directly relevant to the position.
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