Worst Things to Say During A Job Interview

Your palms are sweaty. You shake hands with your interviewer, praying the calm person now seated across from you didn’t notice your moist grip. As you sink into your chair with what little ease your weak knees can muster, your stomach turns over as a wave of nausea threatens to reveal what you had for lunch before your interviewer can even ask the first question.

Okay, this might be exaggerated, but only slightly. Interviews are pressure cookers. They can place an incredible emphasis on first impressions and your nervous responses to very difficult questions, and both of these things make for a very incomplete evaluation of the kind of person you are and the work you can do.

Still, many companies don’t have the patience, foresight, or time for better hiring practices, so they resort to the interview, where sixty minutes can determine whether you’re going to get the job or not. That kind of pressure can cause you to say some pretty dumb things, things you’ll probably regret saying afterward when you don’t get the job.

In order to prevent yourself from saying these dumb things, it is important to identify them first so you can avoid them later. Here are the seven worst things you could possibly say during an interview.

7. “Um.”

Interviewers are looking for confidence. They know you’re nervous, but they want to see how you respond in a challenging situation. Saying filler words like um, uh, well, you know? and hmm isn’t going to convey that you do well under pressure, and it will give the impression that you didn’t prepare well enough for the interview.

6. “I’m sorry I’m late, but (fill in excuse here).”

If you can’t make it to the interview on time, why should the interviewer think you can make it to work on time? I haven’t read actual statistics on this, but I’m fairly confident that 100 percent of people arriving late to interviews don’t get the job. Don’t be late. Don’t even flirt with being late. And speaking of flirting…

5.”It’s so hot in here, and you’re probably exhausted from all these interviews. Want to get a drink after this?”

Don’t ever flirt during an interview. Wait until after you’ve been hired to do that.

4. “What will I be working on if I’m hired?”

If you don’t know what’s in the job description, why are you applying? According to a survey of 2,000 bosses, not researching a potential employer was the sixth most common mistake made during interviews. Learn about the job you’re applying for like you’d learn about Viagra if you had erectile dysfunction.

3. “I know I’m the best person for the job. You’ll be making a huge mistake if you don’t hire me.”

If I was conducting interviews and heard a comment like this one, I would immediately eliminate the person from consideration. Arrogance is the leading cause of workplace eye rolling and hand wringing, I bet.

2. “I was president of my student body in high school.”

What you did in high school is about as important as what you did in elementary school. Nobody really cares except your mom, and chances are she’s not the one doing the hiring. (And if she is, then you may be applying to the wrong job.)

1. “I got fired from my last job after I showed up drunk to work. I only did it once, according to them, heh heh heh.”

Some people like their alcohol more than others, and that’s okay so long as it doesn’t affect their work performance. However, if it was the reason you were fired from your last job, you may want to keep that between you and your fellows at AA. It’s important to be honest during interviews, but not so honest that you won’t get the job.

What’s the dumbest thing you’ve said during an interview?

Photos courtesy of Gangplank HQ and bpsusf.