8 things you should NEVER say in an interview Page

(And what to say instead)

Candidates will eliminate themselves with one answer.

Say these 8 things instead:

❌ “It’s on my resume”
↳ Never assume anyone's read your resume.

✅ “Thanks for giving me the opportunity to elaborate on how I [short summary].”

❌ “I don’t know”
↳ It's okay not to know, but don't say it.

Option One:
✅ “That's a great question. If you don't mind, can I take a moment to think about it?”

Option Two:
✅ “I've had limited experience with [topic] in previous roles. Here's how I would get up to speed quickly in this role.”

❌ “What does this company do?”
↳ Tells an interviewer you didn't prepare.

✅ “What are some of the key milestones on the company’s 1 and 5 year plans?”

❌ “I’m graduating and I need a job.”
↳ Why do you want THIS job?

✅ “I’m excited to apply my knowledge in [area] in an organization that values [examples]”

❌ “No, I don’t have any questions.”
↳ It signals you're not interested in the position.
↳ My carousel on questions to ask is in the comments.

✅ “Thank you for asking, I do have a few questions about [something the interviewer mentioned].”

❌ “My greatest weakness is that I work too hard.”
↳ Cue the world's most obnoxious eye roll.

✅ “I’m actively working to improve my capacities in [weakness]. Here’s how: [list action plan]”

❌ “I already answered that.”
↳ An interviewer doesn't think so or wants clarity.

✅ “As I mentioned, [briefly restate]. To elaborate further [give more context].”

❌ “I was laid off/fired”
↳ Signals performance gap

✅ “While I enjoyed my time at [x] and learned a lot, I’m ready to expand my role and take on new challenges like [something from the job posting].”