Are you going to job interviews but not getting job offers? Or maybe it’s been awhile since you last interviewed and you’re not sure what to even say in your next interview. Either way, tune in to learn four things you should never say during a job interview.
If we’ve never met before, I’m Heather Austin from ProfessorAustin.com and The Career Club on Facebook, and here, I share simple solutions to help you build a business or launch a career you love.
Interview Guide Cheat Sheet
Your step-by-step guide to answering the most popular interview questions!
It’s easy to mess up and say the wrong thing during an interview, especially if you’re underprepared and nervous. The time you have with your interviewer is very valuable. Don’t sabotage it by bringing up your dislike for your previous employer or by giving off the impression that you haven’t done your research; instead, take advantage of every minute you have with your interviewer by putting your best foot forward.
So here are the four things you should never say in an interview:
#1 – Never Say: “Can You Tell Me About the Position?”
This is a huge red flag to an interviewer. It shows them that you haven’t done your research and you don’t know enough about the position to be applying.
Come fully prepared to the interview. Know what the position entails and what the company is looking for in an ideal candidate.
The best way to do this is to study the job posting: what keywords and keyword phrases are repeated throughout the posting? What is company mentioning that they need the most assistance with?
Jump on over to the internet to learn what the company values most in its employees. Find out who some of the key players are within the organization and what news and events have been posted recently about the company.
There are some instances where you may need clarification on specific tasks you might be performing in the position.
You can ask questions like, “Can you tell me more about the team I will be working on and how the company fosters a healthy team environment?” or “What have prior employees done to succeed in this position?
To make sure you’re asking all the right questions during your next interview, check out this post that gives you 5 good questions to ask a potential employer in an interview.
#2 – Never Say: “I Really Need This Job!”
I know this might sound obvious! But when the clock is ticking and you need to find work quickly, it’s hard to hold back your emotion of really wanting to land the job.
You want to keep it cool by not showing your desperation. Hiring officials will hire based on your passion for the position and your interest in the company.
If they sense that you only want the job because you need a paycheck, chances are, they’ll move on to another candidate.
#3 – Never Say Anything Bad About Your Previous Employer or Boss
The last thing you want to do is speak negatively about someone you worked with or a company you worked for.
This reflects poorly on your character and shows the interviewer your lack of problem solving abilities. They don’t want to have negative Nancy on their team.
Your interviewer’s going to be looking for someone that is positive, upbeat, and able to work through difficult situations.
We’ll all been in a work situation that we didn’t like or worked with a person that we couldn’t stand, but a job interview is not the time to discuss this.
Use this precious time to show your leadership and teamwork ability rather than talking smack about your previous employer or boss.
If you find yourself in a toxic work environment, read this post that will help you overcome your difficult situation and deal with your toxic setting.
#4 – Never Say: “How Much Does This Job Pay?”
When it comes to salary negotiations, you want to take your time and be patient with the process. It’s a topic you probably won’t discuss during the first or even second interview.
Salary negotiations normally don’t take place until after you’ve received a job offer. Do your best to let your potential employer make the first offer. This gives you a better starting point and more leverage to ask for your ideal salary.
If you bring this topic up before you know all the information there is to know about the position, you risk the chance of over pricing or under valuing yourself.
For more information on what you should do when bringing up this topic, check out this post that goes into more detail about how to negotiate your salary properly.
Interview Guide Cheat Sheet
Your step-by-step guide to answering the most popular interview questions!
