Have you ever felt like you bombed an interview? A lot of us have! Try not to overthink it, and use these guidelines to steer yourself in a better direction next time.
Avoid: “I haven’t used that tool before.:
This may well be true, but it highlights your lack of familiarity without any backup.
Instead: “I’ve used [similar things] in order to [whatever the tool does]. I learned how to use [tool] quickly, and am confident I can do the same with [unfamiliar tool].”
You’re emphasizing comparable skills here, as well as your capacity to learn things. Rather than underscoring any concerns they might have, you’re offering them reassurance.
Avoid: “My previous job/boss was toxic.”
This is a bit like complaining about your ex on a first date: it makes them wonder if you’re the actual problem, or what your definition of toxicity is.
Instead: “I’m excited to grow in new ways and learn new things. Employer A has been good, but they don’t have a role like [title of what you’re interviewing for] and I want to use my skills to keep growing.”
Avoid: “I’ll do anything you want.”
I get it, you’ve been on the search for a long time and you really want something. But this is not the way to approach it. For one thing, it makes you sound desperate, which you may actually feel, but it doesn’t appeal to a hiring manager. For another, I certainly hope it’s not true! You can be good at your job, respectful of the chain of command, and still ethical in your behavior.
Instead: ”I’m always happy to perform my tasks to the best of my ability. Tell me, what does [thing they just asked about] usually entail?” You can then talk a bit about something comparable that you’ve done or your willingness to put in the effort to learn whatever they’re talking about.
Avoid: “I’m a perfectionist.”
Okay, this one’s a little controversial, and I’ve told people in the past that they can say it as a weakness if it’s actually a weakness. However, most employers have heard it far too often, and they may well also read it as a sign that you’re slow with your tasks, or that you get bogged down in meaningless details.
Instead: “I tend to be good with details, and I take pride in doing my tasks well. But I also understand that sometimes, especially when it’s really busy, good enough is simply good enough! The tasks need to get done, even if they aren’t perfect.”
Avoid: “I don’t have any questions.”
This makes it seem like you aren’t prepared and don’t want the job. You can say something like, “You’ve done such a good job explaining things to me that I think you’ve answered many of my questions.” But don’t leave it there.
Instead: Prepare your questions in advance. Have more of them that you’re likely to need, and be sure to include some things they aren’t likely to tell you during the course of the interview. You can look up questions to ask, or stop by here next week for my suggestions
