Four things you should never say during a job interview, according to recruitment specialists
Saying the wrong thing could ruin your chances of getting hired
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Job interviews are difficult to say the least and can leave you sweating, or worse, making mistakes out of fear and anxiety.
Under pressure it’s easy to make these blunders without even realising it, but luckily there are things you can do to make sure you nail this stage.
Aside from the obvious dos and don’ts – look presentable and never, ever be late – there are a lot of faux pas employers see time and time again that are easily avoided with a little preparation.
Speaking to Glamour, two experts - Dale Williams, managing director of recruitment specialist, Yolk, and Sinead Bunting, VP Marketing Europe at Monster – have revealed the four things you should avoid during an interview to help secure the job.
Never say perfectionism is your greatest weakness
One of the most common – and dreaded – interview questions is “what is your biggest weakness”, but while Google might suggest saying you’re a perfectionist, the experts say it’s actually one of the worst responses you can give.
According to Williams, this is because your potential employer is looking for someone honest and transparent so answering a question with something that still puts you in a good light is seen as a bit of a cop out.
Instead, he suggests answering with a genuine weakness and explaining how you go about managing it.
Don’t make a dig at your current boss
If you’re feeling frustrated in your current role, or your previous job didn’t end on good terms, you might be tempted to speak negatively when asked why you’re looking for a new position but tread carefully.
Williams explains that it’s important to “be as diplomatic as possible", however if you do slip up and make a negative comment, cover your tracks by finding some positives to mention as well.
Do let them know you’re interviewing elsewhere
When asked by a potential employer if you’re looking elsewhere the natural answer seems to be "no" – you want to look keen and as though this is the only job for you, right?
Wrong. According to Williams, saying that you’ve only approached one company makes you either look lazy or like a liar.
Instead, she says to be honest and tell them you’re keeping your options open.
Avoid discussing holiday entitlement
Holiday allowance might come up as a topic during your interview but it’s something that you’re going to want to avoid discussing.
While it’s very important for you to ask questions, bringing up this one could make it look as though you want to take holiday straight away.
“You are just about to start a new position, and don’t want to seem like someone who can’t wait to shoot off again,” says Bunting.
[This article was originally published in March 2018]
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