In today’s competitive job market, even getting a job interview can prove to be difficult. So, when you eventually get an interview, you want to make sure that you do everything you can to absolutely ace it. All too often, people can mess up the interview with ill-chosen comments, and before they know it, they’re job hunting again. But with the right job interview training and tips of what not to say in a job interview, you will significantly improve your chances of getting the job.

Bad Answers Here are a few things you shouldn’t say:

 Question: Why do you want the job?

 This is your opportunity to show how the interviewer how passionate you are about the job position. Highlight a good reason why you want the job by for example relating it to your education or background and state what it is you can bring to the job.

Don’t answer with: “Because my mum told me to” or “Because it will pay for the rent while I look for a job that I really want to do” – Here, you are immediately proving to the interviewer that you do not actually want the job and you will not benefit or bring anything to the company in anyway.

 Question: What do you like to do in your spare time? This question gives you the opportunity to show the interviewer what your interests are, allowing them to get to know your personality a little bit more.

Don’t answer with: “Going to the pub” or “sleeping” – Employers like it when people can talk passionately about their own interests as it helps them to better understand you as a person. Instead of saying “going to the pub” talk about some social activities you enjoy doing, such as a hobby where you’re part of a club or team.

 Question: What do you expect to enjoy most about this role? This question allows you to let the interviewer know that you have done your research and understand exactly what will be required of the job role. State the key aspects of the specific role that you are most excited about.

Don’t answer with: Listing the perks of the jobs such as “ lunchtimes,” “pay,” “discounts,” or “holidays” – This immediately shows that you’re not hard working and that you’re not actually very interested in the job role.

 Question: Where do you see yourself in five years? This is your opportunity to show the interviewer that you are serious about the industry you are interviewing for and allows you to tell them how you want to progress in the next few years.

Don’t answer with: “I see myself doing your job”- Don’t threaten your interviewer with the idea that you are planning on taking their job in the future. Although you might eventually get a position similar to your interviewer in the future, saying this will give the impression that you already think you’re better than your interviewer, and arrogance is not an employable attribute to have.


 Bad Questions Here are some questions you shouldn’t ask:

 “Do you really do that? I didn’t know that!” – Here, you’re immediately showing your interviewer that you haven’t done your homework and researched the company before your interview.

 “Do I have to wear that uniform?” –

Questions like this show the interviewer that you have a poor attitude and you care more about what you look like rather than the actual job role.

 “Is it okay if I just take this call?” – This highlights to the interviewer that you are not serious about the interview and are more interested in your personal life, demonstrating that you are unprofessional as well as rude.

 “What’s the holiday and sickness policy?” –

 Before you’ve even got the job, you’re showing the interviewer that you’re planning your days off. Asking about sickness also shows the employer that you’re likely to have a lot of time off work. Bad Statements Here are some statements you should avoid: 

“Sorry I’m late.” – You’re immediately demonstrating to the interviewer that you are unreliable and have poor time management. The last thing they want is someone rocking up to work half an hour late every morning.

 “I didn’t like my previous employer.” –

 Even if this is the case, this is something the interviewer does not need to know. It can reflect badly on your character and is unprofessional. Finally, don’t swear in the interview, it’s in formal and very unprofessional.

Culled from The Future Enterprise

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