Aside from submitting a resume full of typos, the quickest way to be eliminated from consideration for a new job is making an avoidable interview blunder – like putting your foot in your mouth. Here are some tricks of landing into your dream job:
Nervous
Even if you’re more nervous than you’ve ever been, no company wants to hire someone who lacks confidence. So, in this case, honesty is not the best policy. Don’t tell your interviewer how nervous are, or were before the interview. Just fake it ’til you make it.
Weaknesses or mistakes
Never voluntarily talk about your weaknesses unless they ask you with the standard interview question, ‘What’s your biggest weakness?’ And don’t bring up mistakes you’ve made at work, unless you’re talking about them to show how you’ve made significant improvements.
Money, salary, pay, compensation etc.
Never discuss salary in the early stages of the interview process. Focusing on the salary can raise a red flag with potential employers that you are only there for the money and not for any deeper reasons. More and more, employers are looking for people who align with their mission and values. Negotiations can and should be done after (or at the very end of) the interview phase.
Need
Don’t make the conversation all about your needs. This is the time to talk about their needs and what you can do to help fulfill them. Talking about your needs will flag you as someone who is potentially going to be high maintenance and challenging to work with. And definitely do not say that you really need this job due to your current circumstances. Employers may view desperation as a sign of weakness, and, again, they want employees who are seeking a long-term career, not merely a job.
Perks or benefits
Don’t bring up how much you love some of the company’s perks, such as their policy of having every third Friday off or their free snacks. Again, this will create the image you care more about the benefits than you do about contributing to the employer’s success.
Terrible, horrible, awful, hate etc.
You shouldn’t use negative language during your interview — especially when you’re talking about your current or previous boss or employer. Even if the interviewer invites you to, don’t. It’s not classy, and it will make you sound bitter and petty. It also shows that you could badmouth any boss or company in the future — and it could even be a test to see if you will say anything disparaging.
Sorry
Some people just use ‘I’m sorry’ as a filler phrase, like ‘so,’ or ‘um,’ or they may use it because they think it makes them seem more polite. Others say ‘I’m sorry’ to convey a sense of deference to their superiors and many use a well-placed ‘I’m sorry’ as a preemptive strike to avoid taking responsibility for their actions (‘I’m really sorry but there’s just no way I can answer that question). Whatever the reason, the biggest danger of severely overusing the word is that it can make you look too passive or indecisive — and might eventually create the sense that you lack confidence.