Avoid Saying These Things During Job Interview

<p>Competition in the job market can be stressful, so people are always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd.&nbsp;But there are things you can say in an interview that will make you stand out for all the wrong reasons.</p>

Thursday, March 17th 2016, 8:43 am

By: News 9


Competition in the job market can be stressful, so people are always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. But there are things you can say in an interview that will make you stand out for all the wrong reasons.

What do I say? That's really the big question before any job interview. You want to make an impact on your potential employer. But instead of thinking about the endless amount of words you could say, here are a few words not to say.

These are from Reader's Digest. One is don't say "stuff" or "things." Experts say these words are juvenile-sounding, vague, and dull.

Next, don't say “honestly.” It could mean one of two things. Either you're going to share something extremely candid, or everything you've said up to that point in the interview was not true.

One big one, don’t say “whatever.” Experts say this is a big no-no.

"It makes me think they don't know what they're good at or they're not good at anything and they can cite specific examples. Or it sounds like they aren’t engaged in the job searching process and I want someone who's actively engaged and excited and is able to articulate the skills they can bring to the table," said Carey Baker with Pro Recruiters.

Here’s the rest of the list. This one may be surprising, don't use the term “ma'am.” Experts say while you may think you're being polite,  addressing an employer as "ma'am" will instantly make her feel ancient. Nobody wants that.

Secondly, don't use the word "no." To be clear, you can use in the interview just not when you're asked "do you have any questions for me?" Make sure you have questions prepared. 

These terms are especially important this year. Never talk politics and party affiliation. The reason should be obvious, but I'll let the expert expand.

"It can turn off an employer immediately, so if they use certain words like Republican or Democrat my perception of  that individual is going to change based on my own personal biases," Baker said.

Some general tips from the experts, never talk negative about a former employer, stay positive and make sure you know what job you are interviewing for.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

March 17th, 2016

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024