1. \u201cI really want this job.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s a fact that recruiters want to see passion and enthusiasm from their candidates \u2014 but there\u2019s a right way and a wrong way to show it. You might intend for this phrase to demonstrate your eagerness, but in reality, it \u201ccomes off as slightly desperate, and desperation doesn\u2019t look good in any context,\u201d says Zachary Painter, Career Adviser and Hiring Manager at ResumeGenius.com. \u201cYou want to appear confident and competent \u2014 not as a hopeless applicant seeking a means to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, try saying, \u201cI\u2019m very excited that you requested an interview with me, and I look forward to discussing the details of the position,\u201d Painter recommends.<\/p>\n
\n2. \u201cDoes this position include benefits?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nDon\u2019t get us wrong \u2014 it\u2019s definitely worth finding out the answer to this question, but there\u2019s a time and a place for everything. \u201cThe mistake interviewees make is asking this question too soon,\u201d says April Klimkiewicz, career coach and owner of bliss evolution. \u201cThis is an important question, [but] one you should ask once the employer has extended an offer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why? \u201cUnfortunately, this can make you look like you\u2019re pursuing this position for all the wrong reasons,\u201d Klimkiewicz says. \u201cInstead, be sure to ask questions that get at how you could ultimately help the company reach their goals. \u2018How do you see this position moving the organization toward the mission we\u2019ve discussed,\u2019 is a good alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n3. \u201cUm\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nWho among us hasn\u2019t had a moment when their mind goes completely blank in the middle of an interview? It happens to even the most seasoned veterans, but there are better ways to handle it than just saying \u201cUm\u2026\u201d followed by an awkward pause. The key is to sound thoughtful rather than empty-headed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTrying to fill up the silence with words like \u2018um\u2019 can make it look like you\u2019re grasping to think of what to say. If you need more than just a few seconds, say, \u2018That\u2019s a great question. Let me take a moment to think about it.\u2019 This way, you\u2019ll come across as calm and collected rather than nervous,\u201d Klimkiewicz suggests.<\/p>\n
\n4. \u201cLike\u2026 \/ I think\u2026 \/ you know\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nAlong with \u201cum,\u201d these are a few other filler words that have got to go. According to career coach Jena Viviano, they \u201cmake you sound unconfident and unintelligent. Not a winning combination for an interview.\u201d Of course, you\u2019re probably not saying these on purpose, so the first step is simply being aware of when and how often you say them.<\/p>\n
\u201cPractice is key here. Record yourself answering mock interview questions to see how bad your filler words are. Then work to improve upon that. Also, eradicate passive phrases like \u2018I think\u2019 and \u2018you know\u2019 with more confident and directive statements,\u201d Viviano says. \u201cThis will boost your own confidence and make you sound more impressive to the hiring manager.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n5. \u201cAs I already said\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nIt might seem innocuous enough, but \u201cwhether this is referencing a previously-used situation or just reiterating a skill or accomplishment, the phrase implies that the interviewer wasn\u2019t listening. Even worse, it makes the candidate look like they don\u2019t have relevant experience or skills, since they have to keep restating information that was already covered,\u201d says career coach Donna Shannon.<\/p>\n
An easy way to avoid this? Think up some more situations to draw from in advance. \u201cLook for new situations that describe [your] expertise. A good exercise before the interview is to review the job description and write out relevant stories for each one of the responsibilities. This way, when the employer asks about a similar situation, the candidate has quality stories ready-to-go,\u201d Shannon recommends.<\/p>\n
\n6. Hard-working, fast-learner, self-motivated, etc.<\/strong><\/p>\nYou might think that words like these sound nice in your elevator pitch, but recruiters have been around the block enough times before to know that they\u2019re all flash and no substance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are cliche words that don\u2019t really mean anything. They don\u2019t describe what makes you special, or even whether you are a good fit for the company,\u201d says Aurora Meneghello, career coach and founder of Repurpose Your Purpose.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of using those terms, practice telling a short and specific story that shows how you worked hard, or learned fast. Personal, relevant anecdotes will set you apart from most candidates, and could be the most memorable part of your interview,\u201d Meneghello says.<\/p>\n
\n7. \u201cWhat are my chances of getting hired?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nLet\u2019s be honest: this is probably on your mind 24\/7 throughout the entire interview process. But just because you\u2019re dying to know the answer doesn\u2019t mean you should actually ask the question.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you ask this, you can bet your chances are zero \u2014 this goes beyond desperation and moves into \u2018pathetic\u2019 territory,\u201d Painter says. Instead, Painter recommends saying something along the lines of, \u201cThe prospect of working here is really exciting, and I think I\u2019d be a great addition to your team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n8. Fired, hate, terrible, etc.<\/strong><\/p>\nWords like these are fine if you\u2019re venting outside of the office to a close friend or significant other. But during the interview? Not so much.<\/p>\n
\u201cAvoid negative language and put-downs, whether referring to yourself, previous jobs, work environments, or the world in general. No one wants to hire a negative person!\u201d Meneghello says. Even if you\u2019ve had some genuinely difficult experience in the past, \u201cshow that you can keep your cool under pressure, and can be a discreet, forgiving and generous team member.\u201d<\/p>\n
Have a hard time holding back when a certain subject comes up? \u201cAvoid the topic of what didn\u2019t work or does not work in your current situation, and talk instead about what you are looking for, using positive language,\u201d Meneghello advises. \u201cHiring managers already understand that if you are looking for a new job you must not be happy at your current one \u2014 no need to belabor the point. Focus on why you want to join their team instead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n9. \u201cMy manager and I didn\u2019t get along.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nThis is one negative phrase that you\u2019ll want to avoid in particular. When hiring a new team member, hiring managers want to ensure that the folks they bring in will gel well with the current employees \u2014 and \u201cthis makes you look ungrateful, entitled and hard to work with,\u201d Viviano says.<\/p>\n
Instead, try saying something like \u201cI\u2019ve spent the past 2 years at Company X and I\u2019ve learned a lot from that experience. But I\u2019m looking for something that has more growth potential, challenging projects and a team that is diverse and forward-thinking,\u201d Viviano suggests. \u201cThe key is to focus on the opportunity ahead, not the opportunity behind you. Be grateful and be ready to move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n10. \u201cI\u2019m a perfectionist.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nAlmost every recruiter has heard this eye roll-inducing answer to the question, \u201cWhat is your greatest weakness?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a clich\u00e9 answer, and it shows that you haven\u2019t done your homework,\u201d Klimkiewicz says. When recruiters ask about areas of improvement, they\u2019re really trying \u201cto see if you\u2019re self-aware,\u201d Viviano says. \u201cBy answering this way you sound inauthentic, pompous and like you actually haven\u2019t thought through your real weaknesses. Give a real weakness. It could be procrastination, public speaking, data analysis \u2014 whatever it is, just make sure it isn\u2019t crucial to the success of you doing your job and always explain how you are working to improve upon it,\u201d Viviano recommends.<\/p>\n
\n11. \u201cJust \/ actually \/ I am no expert but\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nPeople often lean on these words in an attempt to sound humble or hedge their opinions, but believe us: words like these aren\u2019t doing you any favors in interviews.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of us have a tendency to use words that undermine our authority or convey insecurity. This can happen because of lack of self-esteem, being brought up in a culture where being confident was frowned upon, or simply out of habit,\u201d Meneghello explains. \u201cI invite you to get to the root cause of your language patterns, and to work on shifting them if you want long term results.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the short term, you can work towards this if you \u201cpractice getting straight to the point: instead of saying \u2018Actually, I was wondering if I may ask,\u2019 ask the question without a preamble, and get used to [skipping] \u2018just,\u2019 \u2018a little,\u2019 and other words that do not move the conversation forward,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\n12. \u201cI don\u2019t really have any questions about the company.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nRecruiters aren\u2019t just being polite when they ask if you have any questions for them about the company or position. \u201cPart of the reason hiring managers ask this question is to gauge your interest in and knowledge of the company. If you care, you\u2019ll have pertinent questions that will, hopefully, lead to a fruitful conversation,\u201d Painter says.
\nHow to Craft Informed Questions During Interview Prep<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no limit of great questions you can ask, but a couple that Painter recommends in particular are, \u201cCan you tell me about some of the current challenges facing your department, and what the team\u2019s strategy is regarding those issues?\u201d and \u201cHow do you measure success for this position?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n13. \u201cWhen can I start?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nYou might have seen a cool, confident character bust this line out in a movie or TV show before, resulting in a hearty laugh from the hiring manager and an assurance that they\u2019ve got the job. But that just goes to show you that you shouldn\u2019t believe everything you see on the silver screen.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch a question usually follows an interview that seemingly went well. Fact is, it sounds arrogant, unprofessional, and presumptuous,\u201d Painter says. As a substitute, Painter recommends going with, \u201cThank you very much for your time! I look forward to hearing from you soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nRead: This is what the perfect CV looks like<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Many times you\u2019ll leave an interview feeling great only to hear that they won\u2019t be moving forward with you, or worse: you won\u2019t hear anything at all. In situations like those, you might wonder: What did I do wrong?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":184711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[7186],"class_list":["post-195944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-trending","tag-glassdoor"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195944"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195944\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":195950,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195944\/revisions\/195950"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/184711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}