Careers Advice Blog

What every job seeker should avoid saying

No comments

For students who have completed their graduation and are ready to put their first step towards the corporate door, life is going to be different. It’s no more a place where you can say anything to anyone, or crack any joke. At this time, your approach as a job seeker can turn a job offer towards or against your favour.

Job searching (writing a CV, updating your cover letter, preparing for interviews, waiting for an employer’s response, etc.) can be stressful for many graduates.

To make everything fall into the right place, here are a few things that every job seeker should avoid saying to their future employer or career network:

“I hate doing [task]”

Even if you are sharing your college experience or internship, it is never advisable to say that you did not like the last job or a particular task. Recruiters never appreciate job candidates saying negative things about their previous employer or work. Your focus should be on your future role and not discussing what you always wanted to get away from.

“I’m ready for any job role”

It is obvious for job seekers to be willing to get a job in any condition. However, just like mentioning the work you do not like to do, saying that you are ready to take anything is again not a good idea. A hiring manager usually prefers a person who is specialised or passionate about working in a particular role. Don’t sound desperate to accept any job offer without analysing your career goal.

“Can I share my resume with you?”

Social networking platforms are emerging as one of the best options for searching a new job. You should also take care of little things when contacting employers for any job opening. As soon as you connect with any new member, do not start your conversation by asking this question. It is wise to invest some time in your new connection, know more about their interests or career plans, and then share your idea of sending him your CV for any job in the hidden market.

“I’ve sent you my CV. Can you please check your email once again?”

Following up with your contact so frequently is a wrong business etiquette. Do not ask this question every second day to confirm the status of your job application. This may become annoying for the HR manager.

“Can you throw some light on the exit policy for employees?”

With an aim to know more about the company, job candidates ask questions that might not be in their favour. This is one of them. The employer must believe that your focus is entirely on the current job and its opportunities. Your questions should rather be related to knowing more about the career growth in the company and not on the exit plans.

Keep your mind clear with the questions that should raise green flags to your future employer, and not red flags. Good luck!

Do you have any more ideas about what a job seeker should avoid saying? Let us know in the comments below.

Photo: Katie Tegtmeyer / Flickr

Swati SrivastavaWhat every job seeker should avoid saying

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *