Avoiding clishes in your job interview
May 8, 2012|employees, Tips At work| No comments yet
You might think that your one big downfall is that you’re “too hard of a worker”, but that’s a cop out answer that makes you seem like you’re perfect. That’s not the only job interview cliché that people who hire regularly have the “pleasure” of hearing. There’s a good number of them that they hear. Do you know the worst part about it? Mentioning a bad job cliché can ultimately cause you to end up not getting the job, thus it’s advisable to avoid them altogether. Below are a few ways to avoid job interview cliches.
First and foremost, avoid using passive expressions that qualify what you say. Things like, “I feel…”, “I think…” and “I suppose…” are all terrible cliches that are to be avoided in a job interview. An interview is to decide what you actively known, who you are and how confident you are in your own thoughts and actions. Wishy-washy, weak-willed words will ultimately prove to prevent you from landing the job because your job interviewer won’t find you as capable of making a decision without being babied. They also won’t find you capable of reliably doing your own work to the best of your abilities if you answer with something like that during the heat of an interview.
The next thing you need to watch out for is apologetic language. It’s a sign that you think you can’t do the job you’re interviewing for and therefore it’s a reason that you shouldn’t be hired for it. Don’t ever apologize for anything you answer during an interview unless you have a distinct reason to do so. Resist the temptation to start off any responses with, “I only have..”, “I’m afraid that I only have…”, “I don’t have much…” and “I’m not sure I can…” All of these phrases sound wimpy and ultimately this is a cliché that outs more people from jobs than you might first imagine.
The last and most important thing is to not fall for responding with antique words. Your job might be a “challenge”, but don’t say that. Respond to your interviewer as to exactly why you want this job so much. Is it because you actively enjoy the intellectual work involved? Do you enjoy the thrill of getting your teeth into a challenge that’s meaty and takes some serious endurance to complete? Do you just love the idea of being able to be in charge of developing something that will result in billions of dollars in profit for your potential employer? Say it. Don’t give “I enjoy a challenge.” as your answer to “Why do you want to work here?” Save that for everyone else your interviewer isn’t going to hire.
The main point in avoiding cliches is to remain confident of yourself. Don’t fall back and think on your feet while you’re answering your interviewer’s questions. That simple ability to be able to answer with something witty and charming is a skill employers love because it represents that fact that you’re likely always thinking about something within that brain of yours.
