When you’re preparing for an interview, working out how you will describe yourself and your skills is key. Some words are best avoided in an interview, even if at first glance they appear positive. Some can be overused and clichéd, while others may understate your abilities and a hiring manager has probably heard them a thousand times before.
Beware the Downplay
Its common for jobseekers to feel uneasy talking about themselves in an interview. As a result, people can fall into the trap of using words that tend to downplay their achievements for fear of sounding boastful or arrogant in an interview. Its important to use positive language that sells your strengths but be careful not to come across as a know it all, someone who isn’t open to learning and can’t be managed – it’s a fine line!
Some of the below example words I’m using might send the message that you’re not comfortable talking about your achievements.
We – If you had to describe how you overcame a problem at work, do you tend to use “we” instead of “I”? Many of us naturally do that BUT the interviewer is only interested in your positive impact!
Just – Just can sound like you’re downplaying your responsibilities and achievements, for example “I just assisted with the project” or “I just have basic Excel skills”. While it’s important to be honest and a little humble when talking about your skills in an interview, using “just” will emphasise a skill you’re lacking or not confident in or simply make you sound like you lack confidence in general.
Only – “I only worked there for one year” it reinforces that you are lacking in a certain area. If you feel you have limited experience or skills, instead be up front about the experience that you do have and how you plan to gain further exposure or to upskill in a certain area. In an interview you should always pivot back to your strengths and the skills you do have, wherever possible.
Obviously – Your interviewer has probably never met you before, so don’t assume that anything is obvious. The word can potentially rub people the wrong way as it suggests that the other person should understand something when they may not or that they haven’t prepared properly for the interview with you.
Avoid these overused words
Some words have been overused so often during interviews they can irritate the interviewer.
Workaholic – This term is no longer a selling point, most employers these days are looking for employees who have a balance between professional and personal life and can manage their time effectively. It no longer translates to how committed you might be to a role and organisation if you secure the role.
Perfectionist – This can suggest that you might spend too long on tasks, when being efficient is important. It might be worth considering other ways to talk about your weaknesses and avoid this word altogether. If you really believe this is a key problem for you though, describe it differently. You could say that you “set very high standards for yourself and sometimes need to recognise when a task has been completed well enough and that it is time to move on to the next”.
Be wary of using terms that you cannot back up
It’s important to sell yourself and your strengths in an interview, so prepare responses to back up your claims. Examples below.
Resilient/Motivated by a Challenge – What are some examples of challenges that you have overcome in the past? Describe what the challenge was and why it was difficult and then describe in detail what you did to overcome this hurdle. How did you prepare? Did you need to develop new skills? How did you stay positive and focused throughout? It is so important to “unpack” any claims that you’re resilient so that it is meaningful in an interview setting.
Detail-Oriented – If you describe yourself as detail-oriented then make sure you have no typos or spelling mistakes in your application or have missed any important details in the job ad. Describe a scenario where your attention to detail could have been costly for the business had you not saved the day!
Team Player – This attribute is on nearly every CV I read, and it is still relevant but back it up, when did you share information with the team, ask for feedback, or support and motivate colleagues? How did you do it, and what was the outcome?
What words should you use in an interview
Aim for strong and positive language in your interview, below are some strong action statements that will show how you take the lead and drive actions to achieve great results:
- “’I identified”
- “I developed”
- “I promised”
- “I implemented”
These phrases are perfect for when you need to give examples of skills you used to overcome problems. Getting to the interview stage in your job search is an exciting step. Thinking about the words you’ll use to best describe yourself and your skills will boost your confidence. When you talk about your strengths, remember to back up your claims with examples of how you benefited the business. With careful preparation and practice, you’ll be able to give the interview your best shot and knock their little socks off!