During a job interview, the things you say are almost of the same importance as the things you do not say. In the nervousness and jitteriness, we all overshare and say things we are not supposed to, but prepping for such a situation beforehand can save you the embarrassment of appearing unprofessional, too forward or appearing too much of an oversharer. Here are some of the things we must avoid saying in a job interview, unless we are specifically asked to do so:
Talking negatively about your previous employers:
Even if the last place you worked at was the worst workplace imaginable, you should not and must not say negative things about the workplace or employers outright. Always give a gracious response to any questions pertaining to your previous job and why you left your previous employer. This shows your professional attitude and positive approach towards your career and can be a plus point during the interview process.
Chris Ainsworth. Saying ‘I don’t know’ to a question can reflect poorly on your part.
‘I don’t know’
Avoid saying the phrase ‘I don’t know.’ There comes a time in any job interview when you are asked questions you didn’t prepare for, and your mind goes blank for a while. In such situations, you may be tempted to simply say, “I don’t know” and move on, but this can negatively affect your overall impression and the ongoing interview. You can always ask for a minute from the interviewer before composing yourself and coming up with an adequate reply, or even ask for additional information with regards to the question to better articulate your answer.
Towfiqu Barbhuiya/Unsplash. An interview is not the right time for salary discussions.
Questions about pay, benefits and vacations
The interview is not the right time to discuss factors such as the pay, benefits, and vacation leaves as you are trying your best to be the most suitable candidate for the job. By asking such tactless questions, you can appear too forward, or worse, greedy. While monetary compensation is a huge factor in deciding for or against a job, these questions are suited to a later round when you have succeeded in your interview and now can discuss pay rate and other benefits.
BiljaST/Pixabay. Always elaborate on the details when asked about anything which is already on your resume.
‘You can find it on my resume’
Sometimes, there are certain questions the interviewer asks you that they can easily read from your resume. You know it, and they know it as well, but they still ask it anyway. And there is a reason for that. While you may be tempted to simply say, ‘you can see that from my resume,’ it’s best not to.
The interviewer likely wants more details to the said question or wants to see how you react and handle a delicate matter. Maybe they want to see how articulate you are at discussing your achievements, or if it’s thoroughly updated or not. In any case, you should answer the question without bringing up your resume, and adding more to the answer which they can already find on paper.
