The 8 Biggest Taboos in a Job Interview: What Not to Say

In an ideal world, a job interview is an honest conversation between the candidate and the interviewer about the job. However, in reality, being too direct can sometimes cause the candidate to miss out on job opportunities.

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While it’s ideal for a job interview to be an honest discussion between the candidate and the interviewer about the role, being overly candid can sometimes cost the candidate the job opportunity.

Being too honest with the recruiter may not always benefit the candidate – Photo: Shutterstock
According to Business Insider, honesty and integrity are generally considered virtues in the workplace. However, when it comes to job interviews, being too honest with the interviewer by sharing the whole truth about oneself or one’s work experience can cost the candidate the job opportunity. Here are eight statements that you should avoid as they won’t do you any favors during a job interview.
1. “I didn’t include that job in my resume because I only worked there for two months”
Your resume and job application do not have to be a comprehensive list of everything you’ve ever done. Your resume is a self-marketing document, so choose the best things you have to put in it. Mentioning that you worked somewhere for two months may cause the interviewer to wonder what made you leave. Were you fired? Did you not get along with your colleagues?
The exceptions to this case are summer jobs, temporary jobs, contract jobs, or some other positions that are clearly designed to be temporary. For these types of jobs, you can still include them in your resume.
2. “I’m going to apply to grad school in the fall”
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to further your education, but this statement essentially says, “I plan to leave this job in a year or less”.
If you’re certain you have plans to attend a nearby school or participate in online classes that won’t interfere with work hours, then studying isn’t an issue. However, recruiters for some jobs, especially high-pressure, high-volume work, will worry that you can’t balance work and school. So, be careful with this statement.
3. “My last job was a nightmare”
The HR department understands that there are bad bosses and bad jobs out there, and some of them may have even experienced such cases themselves. But if a job candidate starts complaining about a previous job or manager, the interviewer has no way of verifying the whole story from both sides. The only thing they know when you say this is that you’re not really discreet, and this is not a point in your favor.
4. “I don’t have any references”
Not having references is a disadvantage. If you can’t find anyone to speak about your previous work, whether it’s a former manager, colleague, client, or peer from volunteer work, most recruiters will assume that you had serious problems in your previous jobs.
5. “I see this as a foot in the door, and I hope to move up quickly”
While you may think this statement shows your ambition in your career, most managers will think that you won’t dedicate enough time to the position they are currently recruiting for. Managers look for stability when recruiting, and they usually want employees to stay in the position for at least a few years or longer.