WORDS TO AVOID SAYING….

WORDS TO AVOID SAYING….DURING A JOB INTERVIEW

Thanks to Susan Hyde-Wick, Career Counselor, at the Waterbury Campus of the University of Connecticut for passing this helpful information along via Paul Powers, “answer man” for job seekers at Monster.com, and author of Winning Job Interviews. Powers says the following words should be avoided during the job interview. Using them could end up eliminating you from consideration, especially if they’re a pet peeve of the interviewer!

1. People person. Interviewers hear applicants say “I’m a people person” and want to roll their eyes. It’s too general; they’ve heard it before! Instead, mention your strong ability to work and get along well with others. BUT, give specific examples to substantiate your generalization: your ability to work effectively on a team, mediate conflicts, or calm down an irate parent.
   
2. Irregardless. This is not a word. Regardless is the correct word. Another misused word is “literally” as in “I literally was putting out fires all day in my last job”. (Unless you were a fire-fighter).
   
3. Crisis. Use this word only if there was a true crisis, not a hard problem to solve. For example, if you worked on a program and a key presenter didn’t show for a program, it shouldn’t be labeled as a crisis or you might come across as a high-drama alarmist.
   
4. No Way. You don’t want to portray negativity. If what they’re asking of you can’t be done, try to phrase your reply in a more positive way, maybe suggesting an alternative.
   
5. Fired. Employers often ask why you left a previous job. If your position was eliminated or if the entire staff was let go, don’t use the f- word, as it leaves a negative impression and could imply you were to blame.
   
6. Garbage Words. This is my own addition. Such words as “um,” “you know,” and “like.” When job candidates say “you know,” I want to blurt out, “No, I don’t know.” Unless you are comparing something, don’t use “like.” Most times these words are inserted almost as commas or to catch one’s breath. It’s surprising how many garbage words someone can generate in just a few sentences. Being cognizant of these words can significantly reduce their use. Also, taking a breath or pausing will lessen their usage.