If you're lucky enough to land a job interview, you need to go into it feeling prepared, optimistic and confident. In addition to researching the company's mission and goals and practicing common interview questions, get to know the language that's appropriate for a job interview.
1. "We"
When describing the work you did for a previous employer, replace "we" statements with "I" statements that specifically detail the contribution you made to the organization. Rather than saying that "we handled customer phone calls," tell the hiring manager that "I provided superior customer service to an average of 50 callers per day." Use the same "I" statements to describe achievements or accomplishments that you as an individual made during the time in your job role.
2. "Vacation"
Don't ask about vacation time or benefits during a first-round job interview. During the interview, you want to portray yourself as an employee who is there to perform his duties and make a contribution to the employer; focusing on how many vacation days employees get makes you seem unprofessional and unmotivated. This type of question also makes you seem presumptuous. Save conversations about vacation and benefits until you have a job offer.
3. "Boss"
Don't talk negatively about your current or previous boss during a job interview. Rather than invoking sympathy from a hiring manager, talking about how horrible your boss is gives the impression that you're unprofessional, unhappy and hard to manage. If you're interviewing in the same industry, there's a chance that the hiring rep knows your boss, so it's never a good idea to badmouth previous or current employers.
4. "Workaholic"
Some interviewees think it's clever to claim that they're workaholics when asked about their weaknesses during a job interview. Avoid using this cliché response, as hiring managers are looking for genuine and honest answers instead of hackneyed words to avoid. Instead, provide a skill that you're not as confident in, such as public speaking or delegating responsibilities, and cite ways that you intend to improve upon this job skill.
5. "Challenge"
Stating to a hiring rep that you love a challenge does not provide enough information for him to get a sense of your qualifications and motivators. Everyone is challenged differently, so provide clear examples of the things that you find challenging. Cite challenges that you've faced in previous positions, and describe how you were able to meet and overcome those obstacles in the course of your career.
Using certain words or phrase during your meeting with hiring reps sets the tone of the job interview and gives those you're meeting with the wrong impression. Steer clear of these words to avoid during a job interview so you can get off on the right foot with the hiring manager.
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