Here are 5 phrases that you should never say in a job interview or else your chances of being hired could be ruined.
Ten minutes before the interview, you are focused on how to make the best impression on the interview panel. With your notes and pen ticking off every question that seems like a song in your mind, you land on that golden article on how to answer interview questions. You scroll through it just to get a glimpse of the key highlighted points. Without much focus on the entire sentence, you hum a few hints to get you by. Minutes later in the interview, you are asked that question that puts what you read to the test:
Recruiter: Why do you want to leave your job?
Your honest self: I heard that my boss is planning to fire me, and I had to get ahead of him
2 weeks later...
Recruiter: We are sorry you did not proceed to the next stage in the hiring process.
Now, you are questioning yourself about what went wrong. You honestly answered all questions as required, but maybe you also might have said the wrong thing in your interview. Sometimes the right answer could also be the wrong depending on how you said it. Being honest in an interview is necessary, but you need to know when to be honest and when to be smart. Here are five phrases you should never say in a job interview:
“I don’t know”
If you do not know, then who knows? One of the hardest truths you will ever encounter in an interview is that recruiters expect you to know something. You either know the answer or what to say when you do not know the answer. Confusing, right? Never say “I do not know” in a job interview. You are setting yourself up for disaster.
Here is a better response you could use instead:
“I am quite new to that subject, if it is okay with you, I would like to know more about it.”
Or,
“I have not yet dealt with a situation like that one before, but I can learn how to go about it.”
Read also: How to answer interview questions when you do not know the answer
“It's on my CV”
If you ever found yourself referring the recruiter to your CV, that’s probably why you never heard back from them after the interview. I know recruiters ask the most aching questions, especially those obvious ones that are on the front page of your CV but never tell a recruiter that what they are asking for is on your resume. Interviews can really test your patience, and keep it cool for the sake of your career.
Read also: Still, confused about which CV to use in 2022? Here are the best CV formats that will get you hired.
“I left my previous job because of low pay”
If you say something like this when asked why you left your previous job, kiss the job at hand goodbye. It is not news that some employers underpay their workers, however, that is not for you to point out in an interview. This phrase shows that you are more interested in what you take from the job than what you give. There are better answers you can give as to why you left your job that could increase your chances of landing the job instead of destroying them.
“If you do not hire me, I can always continue with my personal business”
Well done, you just made the interview panel speechless. This is something you should never say to a recruiter in a job interview. It does not matter how comfortable they have told you to get, all employers want candidates who are enthusiastic about the job. Once there's a slight indication that you do not really need that job, recruiters might not be willing to consider you again.
You can use this response if asked what you'll do if you are not hired.
“I know it will be frustrating if I am not hired, but I count myself a winner still because I was selected for the interviews. I am very positive that there will another opportunity in the future for me to join your team.”
“No, that’s all”
This answer usually comes up when asked whether you have any questions to ask, or when a recruiter asks if you want to add something to your introduction in an interview. Some candidates are so quick to close it off bringing instant bias to the interview panel. Never say anything that makes the recruiters think that you have exhausted what you can add about the job.
There is always a question to ask or something to add. I was once told that if you ever find yourself without any questions to ask in an interview, at least say thank you to the panel for inviting you.
The tension that comes with interviews can be overwhelming even to candidates who have been doing them for a while. When looking for the best responses in interviews, avoid talking negatively about your boss, and phrases that will be easily misunderstood like “I do not know.” Before you go in for an interview, always imagine yourself being on the receiving end of your responses. Would you like them? Could you hire yourself? Being intentional about what you say in a job interview could save you some interview mistakes that would have cost you the job.
Interesting read: It’s Time You Stop Using These Words to Describe Yourself at Job Interviews - Recruiters Find it Boring
