7 Worst Cliches to Avoid during a Job Interview ...

The worst of all cliches to avoid during a job interview is assuring your interviewer that you’re the “ideal employee.” How many times do you think they hear that, really? A lot, I can tell you! Sure, everyone thinks they’re the ideal employee because they want the job. However, don’t use this line. It’s needy, desperate and is not what your potential employer wants to hear. Want to prove you’re ideal? Tell them what qualities you hold that make you fit for the job, and show them proof on your resume.

Whatever you do, don’t tell your interviewer that you already have so many other awesome offers. Sure, you’re there to show them you’re worth hiring, but remember they are interviewing many candidates and not looking to hire one that throws threats or intimidation their way. Most likely, if you use this line, you won’t hear back anything from the company you interviewed with. Don’t expect them to get on their knees and beg for you to choose them to hire you. They won’t!

Don’t tell an interviewer that you’re a work-a-holic if you hate staying past office hours, always arrive late or like to gossip around the office. Don’t offer to do anything they ask you to either, they might just take you up on it- without extra pay! Instead, just tell them what you hope to gain from the job, learn from the job and what you can contribute, but don’t lie. It will get you in more trouble than you can imagine. It also sounds like a fake pitch most interviewers hear way too often.

A big no-no is making a job you used to have seem better than it was. Don’t list a minimum wage retail job as something like “Creative Marketing Specialist.” They’ll not only question what that job was, but be confused and make you explain it. When you give them the place of your past employment and what your job duties were, it’s also a dead giveaway. Don’t lie, just be honest. The important thing is you have a work history, not where you earned it.

If a potential employer asks you why you’re looking for a job, don’t tell them you have a job if you don’t, and don’t tell them you’re just looking. If you were happy where you were, unemployed or employed, you wouldn’t be preparing for an interview. Be honest. If you’re without a job, tell them, and if you’re unhappy with where you’re at, tell them why in a tactful, professional way. They’ll appreciate you for it, and be more likely to hire you based on your honesty.

Also, don’t tell your employer that you’re the perfect citizen and your moral standards are incredibly high. They’ve heard that before, I promise! Plus, they really don’t care how good of a citizen you are as much as they care how you represent their company in the office and out of the office. You’re not interviewing for an election here, so try to remember that.

Lastly, the worst cliche of all is to tell an employer that you’ll take any position they have on hand to offer you. Really? Do you want to work a desk job making little amounts of money because their secretary quit last minute and they need a quick hire? If not, don’t tell them you’ll take whatever they have. This not only sounds desperate, but many times at a job interview, candidates aren’t aware that the position they are interviewing for has already been filled and interviewers are conducting interviews for backup positions that candidates might accept. They won’t tell you this in the beginning, and it’s almost always saved for last. If you don’t want a job other than what you’re interviewing for, don’t tell them you do.

Honesty is always the best policy when it comes to job interviews. What do you think? What is the worst cliches to avoid in a job interview in your opinion?