6 THINGS NOT TO SAY DURING YOUR JOB INTERVIEW

The face-to-face interview does not afford candidates very many opportunities to make a mistake.  This is an important part of the hiring process for companies, and they put quite a bit of stock in everything that candidates do—and say.
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Unfortunately, in some instances, hiring officials aren’t looking for a reason to hire you as much as they’re looking for a reason NOT to hire you.  That’s because if there are a lot of applicants vying for a single position, it’s easier for them to reduce the candidate pool by “weeding” out those that they think don’t belong in the pool.

One way in which they do this is by listening carefully to what candidates say.  All it takes is one misstep or one unfortunate phrase, and officials will mentally disregard your candidacy.  At that point, your chances for getting the job are lost.

Below are six things you should NOT say during your next job interview:
1. “What exactly does your company do?”  You should know not only the complete description of the job for which you’re applying, but you should also know what the company does overall and how your job fits into it.  Expressing ignorance of these facts will only serve to show company officials that you’re not the right person.
2. “How much does this job pay?”  This question shows that you’re focusing on the wrong priorities.  Instead of focusing on what you can do for the company if hired, you’re already asking what the company will do for you.  That’s not a good way to illustrate the value you’d bring as a new employee.
3. “How much vacation do I get?”  This is similar to the question posed above.  You haven’t even been hired yet, and you’re already thinking about the days you’ll be taking off?  Your candidacy has just been dismissed.
4. “My current boss is horrible.”  There’s no context in which this is a good thing to say, including if the interviewers ask why you’re looking to leave your present job.  It just proves that you prefer to passively place blame on others instead of proactively explaining your desire for better employment.
5. “I hate my job.”  Once again, speaking negatively about your current situation is only going to work against you, no matter how dire that situation might be.  Companies want employees who have a desire to make the best of ANY situation, not a desire to complain and “pass the buck.”
6. “My biggest weakness is that I work too hard.”  You might think that this is clever, but rest assured that company officials will not be impressed.  They want a real answer to the question of “What’s your biggest weakness.”  If you answer with this response, they’ll think that your biggest weakness is that you’re flat-out full of baloney.

Have you ever said any of the above phrases during a job interview?  If so, did you get the job?  Chances are extremely high that you did not.

During your next face-to-face interview, choose your words carefully and avoid at all costs the six phrases listed above.  Instead, fill your interview with the type of dialogue that will move you one step closer to convincing company officials that you’re the right person for the position.