Interviewing for a job can be incredibly stressful. It’s like the audition portion of your job application: you have to sell them on your skills and convince them that you are, in fact, exceptionally well suited for the job, while simultaneously being charming and pretending you’re just having a normal conversation. And, of course, you’ll end up having to awkwardly brag about yourself without making it seem like that’s what you’re doing. It can be a lot to handle.
The other stressful thing about job interviews is that everyone in the world seems to have an opinion on the right (or wrong) ways to go about them. Some people will tell you to dress conservatively, while others will tell you to wear a statement piece that’s a bit more memorable. Some people will say to sidestep questions about your flaws, while others might advise you to be honest no matter what. There’s really not a whole lot of consensus on the issue of how to interview. It all depends on who you are and who your interviewer is. The formality of the interview, the job you want, and even seemingly minor factors like the weather or the mood of your interviewer can come into play.
So, yeah, it’s hard to come up with a guide for nailing an interview. Instead, this is a what-not-to-do guide. It’s pretty safe to say that if you find yourself giving any of these answers in an interview, you shouldn’t necessarily expect the job.
Here are 5 things to never, ever say in a job interview:
“I have an authority problem”
Honestly girl, I feel you. No one likes being told what to do. It’s human nature to dislike rules and requests that come from people in positions of power. But this is not information you need to divulge to an interviewer: all they need to know is you are excellent at following instructions and being a team player.
“My old boss was a psycho”
This is like talking about an ex-boyfriend on a fist date. It’s tempting, sure, because you want this new prospect to know how much better you think they’ll be than the person who came before them, but it just comes across as bitter and petty. It’s also just questionable to hate on people in a professional environment no matter what, even if he totally deserves it.
“You have really pretty eyes”
Whether your interviewer is actually hot, or you just think it’s a good idea to flirt a little bit to help your prospects of landing the job, it’s not a good idea. Just remember his name and show him to your friends on LinkedIn later.
“I care too much”
Saying that you care too much or work too hard is your greatest weakness is both cliché and not a real answer. Your interviewer wants to find out who you are as a person- she’s not trying to hire an automaton.
“I’m so sorry I’m late.”
COME ON. Don’t be late to a job interview. Just, don’t.
