words not to use

Don’t use these words during a Job Interview

I know that most of you are bombarded with information and hints about how you conduct yourself during an interview so here’s another one just to cheer you up.

During a job interview besides dressing correctly, speaking clearly and slowly and using the correct body language you also have to be very careful not to use a number of words which if used might precipitate negativity towards you from the interviewer.
The first word you should be mindful of is the word “learn”. You application for a role is about what you can bring to a company and not just for you to learn how to do the job. “Fired” is also a word that conjures up negativity in the mind of the interviewer. If perchance you have been fired then use let go instead and try to turn it into a positive.

Don’t use the word “obsessed” when you are talking about your job or a particular skill-set you have. Employers want well rounded people working for them, people who are a good fit for their company. Obsessed people don’t usually fit into those categories so use words like focused or similar instead.

By the same reasoning don’t say you are “motivated” as this, just like “dedicated” are overused clichés which convey to an interviewer the impression that you have just copied information off the net and have not really thought deeply about your career. They are vastly overused interview words and you should instead describe a previous work situation which can portray exactly the same thing. The same reasoning applies to the word “perfectionist” which once again conveys nothing of any substance and the interviewer can immediately see right through it.

Don’t answer, or describe, anything by using the word “stuff”, “whatnots”, “Er” or “Um” as it shows vagueness and a lack of clarity in your answers. Never ever use swear words even if your interviewer does. The acid test is whether you would use a particular word in front of your children. Try and eradicate such word from you language, difficult I know but definitely worth doing. Don’t use slang either like for example, “LOL” or “OMG” etc. What you are attempting to portray in the interview is a polished professional and the use of such words does nothing to advance this.

Last but not least is never use the word No. Unfortunately when you use this word the interviewer might just focus on this word and forgets everything else you said in that particular answer. Instead once again try to turn it into a positive statement. For example “I would have liked to have said yes but my schedule didn’t allow this”.

Practice speaking and eradicating all these words out of your vocabulary in preparation for your interview.

Steve Blythe (Recruitment and Social Media Commentator).

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