\u201cThat\u2019s a great question!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile this phrase may be a great addition to social conversations, it\u2019s not something an interviewer needs to hear. Instead of sounding surprised that the recruiter asked a question, remember that you\u2019ve prepared for this interview.<\/p>\n
Plus, the questions they ask are almost always from a pre-set list. Playing the game of flattering your interviewer is tricky, and should be used sparingly. Get straight down to answering their questions.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhat is the title of the role, again?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nAny questions showing your lack of research into the company, the job description, or the industry itself show that you haven\u2019t adequately prepared. Preparing for a job interview is like preparing for a final exam \u2013 you need to know your stuff.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no doubt it\u2019s important to ask your interviewer questions, but the questions you ask should be targeted towards information you can\u2019t find online: what the company culture is like, how the values of the company play out in day-to-day business, etc.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI\u2019ve actually never done this type of job before, but\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nIf you have a lack of experience, your resume will show it. There\u2019s no need to further underscore your lack of qualifications. In fact, the interview is your chance creatively connect the dots between your resume and your decision to apply for the job. It\u2019s where you\u2019re able to tell the interviewer why you\u2019ll be a perfect fit for the job, even if that\u2019s not what it looks like on paper.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI really can\u2019t imagine anyone more qualified than me.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nSelf-aggrandizing during an interview only serves to hurt you in the end. Since you haven\u2019t seen the resumes of the other applicants, there\u2019s no use in overtly comparing yourself to them. What\u2019s important to learn is the art of the subtle comparison. \u201cWe all have room for improvement, so be honest with yourself: How would an interviewer see you as compared to other candidates?\u201d writes personal brand expert Brenda Bence.<\/p>\n
The key is being able to talk about the things that make you special \u2013 not just saying that you\u2019re special.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cMy last boss was terrible.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nAbsolutely no griping about your last company allowed, unless there\u2019s some really special circumstance. Complaining about how you didn\u2019t get along in your last work environment is detrimental on two levels. First, it shows your lack of ability to cope with a challenging situation and move past it. Second, the last thing your interviewer wants is for you to be talking trash about their company or employees in the future.<\/p>\n
Obviously, it\u2019s important to talk about past challenges you\u2019ve faced on the job \u2013 but critically evaluate, don\u2019t complain.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThis will be a great stepping stone to my next career move.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile this may be the exact reason you want this job, it\u2019s not a savvy move to share with the interviewer. Hiring managers are generally looking for someone who will display a long-term commitment to the company. Instead, career expert Lynn Williams recommends asking questions about your opportunities for advancement in the company.<\/p>\n
This shows, according to her, \u201cthat you mean to stay with the company and let them benefit from your developing skills, knowledge, and maturity. You\u2019re not just showing commitment, but long-term commitment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nThere\u2019s always a better way to respond to a question you\u2019re unsure of than saying, \u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d Of course, it\u2019s always important to be humble and not makeup what you\u2019re not sure of, but this is where your communication skills come into play.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cI don\u2019t have any questions for you.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nHaving questions prepared for your interviewer is almost as important as being able to answer the questions they throw at you. The questions you ask are an opportunity to display the deep knowledge you have of the company.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThat\u2019s a really nice watch you have on!\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nAttempts to flatter your interviewer will most likely fall short \u2013 especially in relation to appearance or material possessions. If you really must compliment the interviewer, make it related to something you know they\u2019ve done in the business, or even talk about a move the company made that you admired.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cUm, so, like, I really, um\u2026\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nAs in any situation where you want to sound confident, intelligent, and collected: cut the filler words. This is also another reason to practice what you\u2019re going to say out loud, beforehand, so you\u2019re not searching for your words when you\u2019re in the real interview.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cDo people generally like working here?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nDon\u2019t try to beat around the bush. Ask specific questions about company culture and team morale, and be direct. The best way to get the down low on what\u2019s happening in an office is to talk to current or former employees there.<\/p>\n
\nRead: 5 phrases to use in your cover letter to help you land that interview<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The hiring manager has already sifted through resumes and decided that they want to meet you. Now it\u2019s your turn to make an impression. And, unfortunately for you, every sentence you utter during the job interview is going to be a part of that impression. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":261555,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9872],"tags":[7186,26],"class_list":["post-261551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-glassdoor","tag-headline"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261551","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=261551"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":263135,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/261551\/revisions\/263135"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/261555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=261551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=261551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=261551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}