10 things NOT to say at a job interview
I’ve now had an assistant working for me for one year now and more recently, an agent. I was lucky that I knew of my assistant beforehand so I knew what her character was. My agent on the other hand, I have never met in person. We’ve only spoke over the phone and online due to her living in Alberta and COVID of course. I remember very clearly asking all the important questions so I could find out if she was the right fit for me and my brand or not.
First impressions are so important! Whether you’re a candidate looking for work or an employer that is hiring, it is so important you find the right person for the job.
These are some of the most common mistakes to say at a job interview:
10 things NOT to say
1. NEVER put down your old job, boss, or coworkers. You never want to badmouth a former employer. Keep it positive or neutral at best!
2. NEVER say you’re desperate for the job or haven’t had any luck job hunting. You also don’t want to bring up problems you’re having in your personal life. Keep it professional.
3. DO NOT ask questions that you could’ve researched easily about the company online. You want to show that you took the time to learn about the company. This will show your preparedness.
4. DO NOT overshare personal information but rather, keep it simple. You don’t want to mention that you’re hungover from happy hour yesterday or that you have to rush off somewhere right after the interview.
5. DO NOT ask how much vacation time you get/when do you get promoted/or what the benefits are. There is a time and place for those questions but it’s not appropriate to blurt it out on the first interview.
6. STAY AWAY from using unprofessional language like “what the hell” “like” “um” or any profanity of any sort. You don’t want to turn your employer off by swearing or using slang in an interview.
7. DO NOT say cliche answers or come across as overly scripted. The hiring employer can see through when you’re just telling them what they want to hear. My favorite one is when candidates say their weakness is being a “perfectionist”. Every employer has heard that one.
8. DO NOT project that you have a lack of experience or don’t have the skills for the position. Also don’t answer a question with “I don’t know”. If you’re stumped or unsure, give yourself a minute to come up with an intelligent response or use your critical thinking skills.
9. AVOID DOING the following. When your hiring employer asks at the end of the interview if you have any questions, always make sure you have meaningful questions to ask instead of saying “NOPE”. Examples: “what do you enjoy most about working here?” “Can you show me examples of projects I’d be working on?” “What attributes does someone need to have in order to be really successful in this position?” Etc.
Last but not least..
10. DO NOT, I repeat, do not be late to a job interview! Do whatever it takes to be on time to an interview. Being late can be a make or break. In the same breath, you also do not want to be too early. You don’t need to arrive earlier than 5 or 10 minutes before.
Did I miss any tips? Send me a message!
-Jenna xoxo