Michael Page Logo

Main menu

  • Home
  • NEW - Timesheet
  • Jobs+

    Searching for a job?

    • Job search
    • Submit your CV
    • Salary comparison tool
    • Income tax calculator
    • Featured employers

    Job search advice

    • Job search advice
    • Cover letter and CV advice
    • Growing your career
    • Job interview tips
    • Making your next career move
    • Global opportunities

    Search for jobs

  • Career advice+

    Career advice

    • Being happy at work
    • Career Chats - Podcast
    • Cover letter and CV advice
    • Graduate advice
    • Growing your career
    • Job interview tips
    • Job search advice
    • Making your next career move
    • Tips for temps

    Salary centre

    • Salary centre
    • Salary advice
    • Salary tools

    Skills centre

    • Skills centre
    • Top 21 skills eBook
    • Top 100 skills tool
    • Skills Checker

    Popular articles

    • Popular articles
    • Expert tips for remote interviewing
    • How to answer competency based interview questions
    • Optimising your CV for 2021
    • How to fit into a new workplace when starting remotely
    • Why are transferable skills so important?
  • Recruiting+

    Looking to hire?

    • Recruitment services
    • Request a call back
    • Reasons to partner with us
    • Advertising for candidate attraction
    • Salary benchmarking tool
    • Submit a job spec
    • Client testimonials

    Outsourcing/project recruitment

    • Outsourcing/project recruitment
    • Project solutions
    • Advisory
    • Outplacement/career transition

    Insights

    • Webinars & events
    • Market analysis
    • Salary Guides
    • Webinars & events

    Management advice

    • Management advice
    • Attraction and recruitment
    • Development and retention
    • Diversity and Inclusion Centre
    • IR35
    • Run your recruitment processes remotely

    Recruitment expertise

    • Recruitment expertise
    • Discipline expertise
    • Industry expertise

    Request a call back

  • Work for us+

    Work for us

    • Work for us
    • Why choose us?
    • Your role here
    • Use your skills
    • Apply now
  • About+

    About us

    • About Michael Page
    • Client testimonials
    • Diversity and inclusion
    • News & research
    • Reviews
    • Recruitment services
  • Contact+

    Contact us

    • contact us
    • Find your local office
    • Request a call back
    • Submit a job spec
    • Submit CV
    • Timesheet portal
    • Feedback
  • Job match
Register / Sign in
Saved jobs (0)
Saved jobs (0)
Register / Sign in
Login or Sign up
Search for a job

We have been made aware of a global phishing campaign where employees from companies are being impersonated. We are confident that no PageGroup system has been compromised. View more

You are here

Home>Advice>Career advice>Job interview tips>Six things you shouldn’t say in an interview

Six things you shouldn’t say in an interview

by Michael Page
Six things you shouldn’t say in an interview

You don’t want your first impression on your prospective new boss to be a bad one. Greeting your interviewer with the wrong name or mentioning the wrong company are both ways of ensuring you won’t get off to a flying start.

Aside from the obvious, such as arriving on time, being appropriately dressed and not using slang or profanities; there are a few things to remember during your interview. Your attitude and body language should reflect your interest in the role, the organisation and the interviewer.

There are also plenty of things you shouldn’t say in an interview, below are some examples of what to avoid.

1. What does your company do?

Showing a lack of knowledge proves a lack of interest. There are no excuses for not conducting any research on the organisation. You should know their service back to front and you should also be aware of any issues that they are currently facing.

2. I hated my last boss.

Aside from being completely unprofessional, bad mouthing old managers and colleagues will only reflect negatively on you; the hiring manager might assume you were the problem.

3. No, I don’t have any questions.

Part of your preparation should have been deciding what you wanted to know about the role or organisation that might not come up in the interview. Even if your questions have already been covered, asking the interviewer to clarify or go into more detail will show your interest.

4. I don’t have any weaknesses.

Telling your interviewer you have no weaknesses is practically the same as saying you’re perfect. Chances are you’re not. This question will almost certainly come up, so prepare an answer beforehand that puts a positive spin on your weakness.

5. I’ll be needing the following days off.

The interview is not the time to discuss this. If you have a holiday booked or an important event to attend you can bring this up as part of your negotiations if an offer is made.

 6. How long will it be before I’m promoted/given a pay rise?

You might sound like you’re expecting to be rewarded for doing very little work and that you don’t regard the role you’re interviewing for very highly, if you ask this question.

There are also topics of conversation you should avoid in an interview. For instance (unless interviewing for a related post) avoid discussing your religious and political affiliations. Your interviewer might find it inappropriate, or worse offensive.

Use your common sense, be respectful during your interview and you should be able to avoid any mistakes. If you need more interview advice, take a look at our articles on how body language affects your interview technique and how to make a great impression.

Previous article
Negotiating your salary
Negotiating your salary
by Michael Page
Read article
Next article
Strength based interviews and how to ace them
Strength-based interviews and how to ace them
by Michael Page
Read article

Sign up to receive job alerts

We will let you know when any new !keyword jobs are available. | We will let you know when any new !keyword jobs in !location are available.| Create an account to enable features like one click apply, and set up more than 5 job alerts

Topics

  • Career advice
  • Management advice
  • Salary centre
  • Insights

Tags

Interview techniques

 

 

 

Download our 100 in-demand skills for 2020

 

100 in demand skills

 

Simplify your job search by downloading our new App

 

Download Our App Download Our App

 

Tweets from @michaelpag

Michael Page Logo
Candidate Relevancy gauge

Job Match

Try our smart new tool to find your perfect job

Upload your CV Upload your CV
  • Follow us on FacebookFollow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on TwitterFollow us on Twitter
  • Watch us on YouTubeWatch us on YouTube

General

  • Site map
  • Site terms
  • Work for us
  • Feedback
  • Accessibility
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Employee rights
  • Cookies
  • Modern Slavery Statement
  • Privacy policy
  • Complaints policy
  • Country/Region

About Michael Page

  • Investors site
  • PageGroup corporate site
  • Page Executive
  • Page Personnel
  • Page Talent
  • Page Outsourcing

Search for jobs

  • Accounting
  • Audit & Advisory
  • Banking & Financial Services
  • Compliance
  • Construction
  • Consultancy, Strategy & Change
  • Digital
  • Engineering & Manufacturing
  • Executive Search
  • Facilities Management
  • Fashion
  • Health, Safety & Environment
  • Healthcare
  • Hospitality & Leisure
  • Human Resources
  • Insurance
  • Legal
  • Life Sciences
  • Logistics
  • Marketing & Agency
  • Not for Profit
  • Policy
  • Procurement & Supply Chain
  • Property
  • Public Sector
  • Retail
  • Sales
  • Tax
  • Technology
  • Treasury

Mobile applications

Download Our App Download Our App

Employers

  • Request a call back
  • Submit a job spec
  • Our offices

Awards

Reviews

Feefo logo

 

Accreditation

Michael Page is part of the PageGroup. Michael Page is a trading name of Michael Page International Recruitment Limited. Registered in England No. 04130921 Registered Office:
Page House, 1 Dashwood Lang Road, Addlestone, Weybridge, Surrey, KT15 2QW