Top 5 Worst Interview Answers

By Jessica Young 

Job interviews are always stressful situations in which you may often find yourself uncertain about how to answer a question. While there is no set “right” way to answer every interview question, there are certainly a few answers that a prospective employer never wants to hear.

These top 5 worst interview answers will almost certainly push you into the “no” pile.

1. “I don’t know”.

“I don’t know” is probably the worst answer you could give for any question in an interview. For example, if you are asked why the company should hire you, this answer shows that you are not even dedicated enough to the potential job to think of an answer about your own strengths.

And after all, if you don’t know why the company should hire you, how will they? A good rule of thumb for interviews is to never answer any question with those three words.

2. “I hated my last job”.

Even if you quit your last job because it was a truly terrible experience, your prospective employer does not want to hear about how much you hated your last job, your co-workers, or your supervisor.

Badmouthing your previous employer will set off a red alert in your interviewer’s head, telling him or her that you are not a team player or that you do not follow through with your responsibilities.

Instead, use a vague answer, such as, “It was not the ideal work environment for me,” and then transition to discussing what you learned from that experience.

3. “I don’t like people”.

Unless you have found a rare job that has zero interaction with other employees, customers, or clients, you should never tell your interviewer that you don’t like people or that you do not work well with others.

Again, this will show the employer that you are not a team player and that you are likely to cause problems in the workplace. Not working well with others is almost certainly a deal breaker in any industry.

4. “I don’t have any questions”.

Near the end of an interview, the employer will always ask you if you have any questions about the job. Even if you don’t, you should always try to think of at least one or two questions to further the discussion.

Not having any questions shows a lack of interest in the position. In addition, by asking the right questions, you can open the door for conversation about aspects of the job that weren’t touched upon. This gives you the opportunity to further discuss your qualifications and stand out.

5. Anything with profanity.

Finally, you should never use profanity in a job interview at any point. While it may not be a deal breaker, using profanity is a sign that you are unprofessional in the workplace.

It also shows that you cannot control your language and your potential employer may have concerns about you accidentally slipping up in front of an important client. This will leave a bad first impression and make it more likely that another qualified candidate will land the job instead.

Source: