This document summarizes 30 common mistakes people make during job interviews that could negatively impact their chances of getting the job. Some of the key mistakes include badmouthing previous employers, appearing unprepared by not researching the company, oversharing personal details, using filler words, and asking about benefits like vacation time before discussing what value you can provide. The document provides brief explanations for why each mistake should be avoided and tips for more effective interview responses.

1. In an interview, your primary goal is to get across to the hiring manager
why you—above all the other candidates—are the right person for the job. That you
have the right set of skills, a great personality, and the drive to really make things
happen in your new role.
But as you’re preparing answers to interview questions that’ll let you do all
of those things, it’s equally important to know what the hiring manager will consider a
red flag. After all, a wrong move or two, and it won’t matter how great your sales
numbers at your last job were.
To help you out, steer clear of these 30 messages. You’ll make sure that
your awesome abilities and accomplishments—not a totally avoidable faux pas—will be
what your interviewer remembers.

2. 1. “So, tell me what you do around here.”
Rule #1 of interviewing: Do your research. You never want to walk into an interview
knowing next to nothing about the position or company—you want to show that you’re
excited enough that you’ve done some homework and thought about how you’d fit in. To
get started, do some online research (here’s your game plan), and try to find a current
or past employee you can talk to before the big day.
2. “Ugh, my last company…”
No matter how bad a job was, you never, ever want to badmouth a former employer in
an interview. Keep your tone somewhere between neutral and positive, focusing on
what you’ve learned from each experience and what you’re hoping to do in the future.
This especially applies when you’re talking about why you’re leaving—here are a few
tips on how to do it right.
3. “I didn’t get along with my boss.”
Similarly, you don’t want to speak negatively about anyone you’ve worked with in the
past. Even if a previous manager could put the characters in Horrible Bosses to shame,
your interviewer doesn’t know that—and could wonder whether you’re the difficult one to
work with.
4. “I’m really nervous.”
Even if you’re more nervous than you’ve ever been, no company wants to hire someone
who lacks confidence. “So, in this case, honesty is not the best policy,” says Amy
Hoover, president of the job board TalentZoo. “Fake it ’til you make it!” (Via Business
Insider)

3. 5. “I’ll do whatever.”
Most hiring managers are looking for people who are incredibly passionate about the
role they’re taking on. So when you say something to the effect of, “I don’t care what
jobs you have available—I’ll do anything!” that’s a big red flag. Instead, target your
search to a specific role at each company, and be ready to explain why it’s exactly what
you’re looking for.
6. “I know I don’t have much experience, but...”
This mistake is easy to make, especially if you’re a recent grad or career changer.
Problem is, when you apologize for experience you don’t have, you’re essentially saying
that you’re not a great hire, that you’re not quite the right fit for the role, or even that you
would be starting from square one. And that’s just not the case! Instead of drawing
attention to your weaknesses, stay positive, focus on your strengths, and immediately
launch into your transferable skills and infectious enthusiasm for the position. Here are
a few better phrases to try instead.
7. “It’s on my resume.”
“Here’s the thing; I know it’s on your resume, but if I’m asking you about a particular job
or experience, I want you to tell me more beyond a written word. I’m actually evaluating
your communication and social skills. Are you articulate? Should you be client-facing, or
are you someone we need to keep hidden in the basement next to the IT lending
library?” says Nando Rodriguez, Head of Employment Branding at Ogilvy & Mather. “If a
recruiter is asking you about a certain skill, don’t reference your resume, and instead
use it as your moment to shine.”

4. 8. “Yes! I have a great answer for that!”
Practiced your answers to some interview questions? Great. But don’t memorize them
word for word. When you’re hyper-prepared and hanging on the edge of your seat
waiting for certain questions for which you’ve prepared to be asked, you will likely have
a very hard time engaging in genuine conversation with the interviewer. And
interviewers don’t tend to hire detached people who can’t seem to have a genuine
conversation. Certainly, walk in prepared, but force yourself to not memorize or over-
rehearse the practice questions.
9. “Perfectionism is my greatest weakness.”
Here’s the thing: Chances are, telling a hiring manager that perfectionism is your
greatest weakness won’t surprise him or her—and it might come off as sounding like an
overly rehearsed cliché. It also doesn’t offer much of a true insight into your work style
or personality (especially if half the other candidates are giving the same response). Try
a more genuine response (here are some ideas)—and if perfectionism really is your
greatest weakness? Use these tips to spin it right.

5. 10. “I’m the top salesperson at the company—and I have two
semesters worth of Spanish.”
In an article for the Harvard Business Review, Heidi Grant Halvorson gives an excellent
example of a case in which less is more: Instead of stopping after describing your
degrees from Harvard, your relevant internships, and your technical expertise—you tack
on your two semesters of college-level Spanish. Maybe Spanish is relevant to the job,
but even so, according to the “Presenter’s Paradox,” rather than seeing that as a bonus,
our minds tend to average out the impressiveness of the listed achievements. Try to
keep any string of accomplishments you mention within the same range of
impressiveness as others, and either leave out the outliers or wait for a better
opportunity to talk about them (when they won’t be stacked against your highest
achievements).
11. “I think outside the box.”
Resume buzzwords make hiring managers’ eyes glaze over, and similarly, using clichés
in an interview won’t get you very far. Skip these overused business phrases, and
describe your skills and abilities using stories about things you’ve actually done.
12. “I, like, increased our social following, like, 25%...”
Filler words like “like” and “um” can make you look like you lack confidence—or worse,
the ability to communicate clearly on the job. Try these tips to erase “like” from your
vocabulary for good.

6. 13. “On my third goose-hunting trip to Canada...”
Stories are a great way to connect with the interviewer—they’re more memorable than
facts, help you build rapport, and can help you to quite literally share an experience with
your interviewer. But, as highlighted in this SlideShare (see Mistake #4), you need to tie
that story back into what the company’s needs are, your interviewer’s experience, or,
more specifically, to the position he or she is trying to fill, or you risk being forgotten (or
looking a bit strange).
14. “I built a synergistic network of strategic alliances...”
If your interview answers sound a little too much like Weird Al’s song, “Mission
Statement,” you’re probably not going to be the most memorable candidate. Turns out,
listening to abstract words (think “strategic alliances” and “cutting-edge technology”)
only activates areas of the brain related to language processing. Alternatively, concrete
words like “carrot juice,” “smoking car engine,” and “stood in front of 150 people” are
easier to picture, activate more areas of the brain, and are therefore more memorable.
Pull in the five senses and describe actions taken. You’ll be remembered positively
rather than for being a jargon bot.
15. “I pulled together the STF reports.”
Unless they’re absolutely industry-standard terms, don’t use acronyms or jargon when
you’re describing your responsibilities. You’ll be much more compelling (not to mention
interesting) using language that everyone gets right off the bat.

7. 16. “Um, I don’t know.”
Even if you practice, and practice, and practice, you could still get a question that
stumps you. But saying “I don’t know” is rarely the right approach. Two strategies that
work well are repeating the question thoughtfully before answering or saying (slowly),
“Now, that is a great question. I think I would have to say…” Still stumped? Ask for what
you need—whether that’s a pen and paper, a glass of water, or a quick minute to think.
17. “How much vacation time do I get?”
When you bust out with an immediate litany of WIIFM (what’s in it for me?) questions,
you look both arrogant and, frankly, unappealing. Guess what interviewers want to know
when they meet with you? First and foremost, they want to know what you can do for
them. What can you do to make that company money, improve businesses processes,
grow the organization and, importantly, make their lives easier? Making you happy will
be important if they want you, but you’re not even going to get to that stage if you make
your list of demands clear too early.
18. “How soon do you promote employees?”
“An individual asking this question may come off as arrogant and entitled,” says
recruiter Josh Tolan of SparkHire.com. A better way to ask this? “I’m really interested in
staying at a place for a while. What do career paths within the company typically look
like?”
19. “Nope—no questions.”
Not having any questions for the interviewer basically says that you’re not interested
enough to learn any more. Have some thoughtful questions prepared (here are more
than 50), and your interview will feel more like a conversation than a firing squad.

8. 20. “Then, while I was at happy hour...”
Is your underwear riding up your rear end as you sit in that interview? Did you totally run
a red light (and nearly sideswipe a school bus) so that you could be on time? Did your
husband lose $15,000 at a craps table in Vegas last weekend? How interesting—yet all
completely off-limits conversation topics while you’re in the interview. Even if you’re
interviewing for a role within the most free-wheeling, fun-loving organization, the fact
remains that you are in an interview. Never, ever get wooed into believing that the
casual nature of the environment frees you to enter the TMI zone.
21. “I’ll have the steak and a glass of Cabernet.”
If your meeting takes place over a meal, take the lead from your interviewers. Casually
ask if they’ve been to the restaurant before and what they think are good options—
hopefully their recommendations will give you a sense of an appropriate price range. If
not, try to have your interviewer order first and choose something at that price point (or
less). And put down the drink menu—even if your interviewer imbibes, you should stay
on your best behavior.
22. “I’d like to start my own business as soon as possible.”
Entrepreneurial ambitions are great—but if you’re applying for a job to work for
someone else, you probably want to downplay the fact that you’re trying to get funding
for your burgeoning startup. Most employers want to hire people who are going to be
around for a while, and if there’s any suspicion that you’re just collecting a paycheck
until you can do your own thing, you probably won’t get the job.

9. 23. “What the hell!”
You’d think not swearing is Interviewing 101, but you’d be surprised how often people
still do it. Even if your interviewer drops a few S- or F-bombs, you’re better off keeping
your language PG.
24. “So, yeah...”
“Even with the most prepared interview candidates, I’ve found that a lot of people still
make one critical mistake,” says career counselor Lily Zhang. “They’ll deliver absolutely
fantastic and relevant stories, and I’ll be completely hooked—all the way up until they
end with, ‘and... yeah’ or just an awkward pause.” Instead, try one of these three
approaches to perfectly wrap up your answers.
25. “Do you know when we’ll be finished here?”
You should never give the impression that you’re in a hurry or have somewhere else to
be. “What could be a 30-minute interview might turn into a 90-minute interview if all
goes well, and if you seem like you have somewhere more important to be, the
interviewer will definitely be turned off,” Hoover explains. (Via Business Insider)
26. “I’m going through a tough time right now.”
Yes, most people would be incredibly sympathetic to someone who has been laid off, is
going through a divorce, or is dealing with family drama. And even if your interviewer is,
he or she may also wonder how your personal life will affect your performance on the
job. So, keep your problems under wraps and keep the conversations focused on your
professional life.

10. 27. “Sorry I’m so late.”
Just be on time. Enough said.
28. “Sorry I’m so early.”
But don’t be too punctual. When you arrive more than five or 10 minutes before your
meeting, you’re putting immediate pressure on the interviewer to drop whatever she
may be wrapping up and deal with you. Or, she’s going to start the interview feeling
guilty because she knows she just left you sitting in the lobby for 20 minutes.
29. “Would you like to see my references?”
“Interviewing is a lot like dating,” says Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter of CareerTrend.net.
“It’s important to entice with your value and attract them to call you for the next ‘date.’”
Offering up your references too soon may hint at desperation. Plus, you don’t want to
run the risk of overusing your references. (Via LearnVest)
30. “I just wanted to follow up—again.”
As with most relationships, looking interested is good, but looking too interested makes
you less desirable. You may think you’re showing your future company that you’re ready
to hit the ground running, but if you come on too strong post-interview (think “checking
in” to restate your interest less than a week after the interview or double
communicating—emailing and then emailing again without a response from the other
party), you look less like a candidate they’d be lucky to hire and more like someone
who’s anxious to leave your current role.
Made by- PRATAP PRAKASH TAMBE