The main things not to say in an interview are negative comments about past employers, claims that you have no weaknesses, early questions about pay and time off, and lines that sound desperate, such as "I'll do anything." Each one gives the interviewer a reason to doubt your judgment, even when your experience is strong. The good news is that almost every one has a better version that makes the same point.
Below are 25 phrases to avoid, grouped by topic. For each one you'll find why it hurts and what to say instead. The replacement lines are examples we wrote; adapt them to your own words. This page is part of our guide to common interview mistakes.
Why do some phrases hurt you in an interview?
Interviewers have limited time to predict how you'll behave on the job, so they treat small signals as evidence. A complaint about your old manager suggests how you'll handle conflict. A first question about vacation suggests what you care about most. Neither may be true, but the interviewer only has what you say in the room.
Most phrases on this list fall into four patterns:
- Negativity: blaming others or complaining about past jobs.
- Self-undermining: hedging, apologizing or dismissing your own skills.
- Misplaced priorities: leading with what you get rather than what you'll do.
- Low effort: showing you didn't prepare or don't care about this particular job.
Things not to say about past jobs and employers
1. "My last boss was terrible."
Why it hurts: the interviewer hears only your side and wonders what you'll say about them one day. Say instead: "We had different ideas about how much autonomy the role should have. I work best with clear goals and room to decide how to reach them, which is part of why this role appeals to me."
2. "I hated that job."
Why it hurts: strong negative language makes you sound hard to satisfy. Say instead: "The role became mostly maintenance work, and I want to get back to building new products." Our guide to "Why are you leaving your current job?" has more versions.
3. "I was let go, but it wasn't my fault."
Why it hurts: rushing to deflect blame sounds defensive, even when the layoff really had nothing to do with you. Say instead: "My role was one of 40 cut in a restructuring. Since then I've finished a certification and done two contract projects." For more on this, see how to explain a gap after a layoff.
4. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but…"
Why it hurts: sharing confidential details about a current or former employer tells the interviewer you'd do the same with theirs. Say instead: describe the work in general terms: "I led pricing changes for a product line with several million dollars in annual revenue."
5. "Honestly, I'm just here for the money."
Why it hurts: pay matters to everyone, but naming it as your only reason suggests you'll leave for the next higher offer. Say instead: lead with the work, and save compensation for the salary conversation.
Things not to say about yourself
6. "I don't have any weaknesses."
Why it hurts: it reads as a lack of self-awareness, or as dodging the question. Say instead: name a real, non-critical weakness and what you're doing about it. Our guide to "What is your greatest weakness?" has examples.
7. "I'm a perfectionist."
Why it hurts: interviewers hear this answer constantly and often take it as a humblebrag. Say instead: be specific: "I used to spend too long polishing internal documents. Now I set a time limit and ask one reviewer for feedback before I go further."
8. "I'm not really a numbers person." (for a role that needs numbers)
Why it hurts: calling a core skill of the job a weakness answers the hiring question for them. Say instead: choose a weakness that isn't central to the role, or describe how you've improved at it.
9. "I don't know." (and nothing more)
Why it hurts: stopping there ends the conversation. Admitting a gap is fine; giving up isn't. Say instead: "I haven't used that tool directly. I've used a similar one, and here's how I'd approach the problem." See what to do if you don't know the answer in an interview.
10. "It's on my résumé."
Why it hurts: the interviewer knows. They're asking because they want to hear you explain it. Say instead: give the short story behind the bullet point, with the result.
11. "Sorry, I'm so nervous."
Why it hurts: one honest mention is fine. Repeated apologies keep pulling attention to your nerves instead of your answers. Say instead: take a breath and say, "Let me take a second to think about that."
12. "I'm a hard worker and a team player."
Why it hurts: every candidate says it, and it proves nothing without an example. Say instead: show it with a short STAR story: "When our analyst left mid-quarter, I took over the weekly report and trained her replacement in two weeks."
Things not to say about pay, perks and schedule
These topics are legitimate. The problem is timing and framing. Recruiters often raise pay early in the process; with the hiring manager, it usually lands better later, or when they bring it up.
13. "So, what does this job pay?" (as your first question)
Why it hurts: asked before you've talked about the work, it signals that pay is your main interest. Say instead: ask the recruiter about the range at the screening stage, or wait for the salary discussion. Prepare with our guide to answering "What are your salary expectations?"
14. "How much vacation do I get?"
Why it hurts: asked early, it suggests you're already planning time away. Say instead: wait for the offer stage, or ask HR about benefits in general.
15. "Can I work from home most days?"
Why it hurts: asked as a condition before you've shown interest in the job, it can sound like a deal-breaker. Say instead: "How does the team usually split time between remote and in-office work?"
16. "I won't accept anything under $X."
Why it hurts: an ultimatum early in the process can end the conversation before they've decided they want you. Say instead: "Based on my research, roles like this range from $X to $Y, and I'm flexible depending on the full package."
17. "How soon can I get promoted?"
Why it hurts: it suggests you see this job as a waiting room. Say instead: "What does growth look like for someone who does well in this role?"
Things not to say about the job, the company and the close
18. "I'll do anything." or "I just need a job."
Why it hurts: it sounds desperate and tells the interviewer you haven't thought about why this role fits. Say instead: name the two or three parts of the job description that match what you do best.
19. "So, what does your company do?"
Why it hurts: it shows you didn't do basic research. Say instead: show what you learned and build on it: "I saw you launched a self-serve plan last spring. How has that changed the team's priorities?"
20. "I don't have any questions."
Why it hurts: it signals low interest, and it wastes your best chance to learn whether you want the job. Say instead: ask two or three prepared questions. See questions to ask the interviewer, and the list of questions not to ask in an interview.
21. "This would be a great stepping stone."
Why it hurts: hiring takes time and money, and nobody wants to hire someone who is already planning to leave. Say instead: talk about what you'd build in the role over the next two or three years.
22. "How hard can it be?"
Why it hurts: dismissing a skill you lack suggests you'll underestimate the work. Say instead: "I haven't done that yet. Here's how I picked up a similar skill quickly last year."
23. Swearing or very casual slang
Why it hurts: even with a relaxed interviewer, it's a risk with little upside. Say instead: keep your language at the level you'd use with a senior colleague you've just met.
24. "Sorry, I need to check this."
Why it hurts: looking at your phone or answering a message mid-interview tells the interviewer something else matters more. Say instead: nothing. Switch your phone off before you start. Our job interview etiquette guide covers phones and other basics.
25. "So, did I get the job?"
Why it hurts: it puts the interviewer on the spot, and they usually can't answer before the team decides. Say instead: "What are the next steps, and when should I expect to hear back?"
What about filler words and hedges?
Beyond whole phrases, small words can weaken a good answer. You don't need to remove all of them; just notice the ones you overuse.
| Word or phrase | What it can signal | Try instead |
|---|---|---|
| "I think maybe…" | Doubt about your own answer | State the point, then add a caveat if needed |
| "Just" ("I just helped with…") | Downplaying your contribution | "I led…" or "I built…" when that's accurate |
| "To be honest…" | That your other answers weren't | Drop it and give the answer |
| "Basically" or "like" in every sentence | Nerves or an unplanned answer | Pause silently instead of filling the gap |
| "We" for everything | Unclear personal contribution | "We" for the goal, "I" for your actions |
| "Does that make sense?" after every answer | Uncertainty that you were clear | Ask once: "Would more detail on that help?" |
| "I'm not sure if this is a good example, but…" | That it isn't a good example | Start with the situation |
Hedges and fillers are hard to hear in your own voice. Recording yourself is the quickest way to catch them, and our guide on how to not sound rehearsed explains how to cut them without sounding scripted.
How to practice saying the right thing
Knowing what not to say is easy. Not saying it under pressure takes practice. Answer the questions where these phrases usually slip out, such as "Why are you leaving?", "What's your greatest weakness?" and "Do you have any questions for us?", out loud and on the record. An AI interview assistant that scores every spoken answer helps here: CoPilot Interview's Mock Interview builds questions from your résumé and the job description, reads them aloud, and scores each answer out of 10 with what to fix and a model answer. It's free for 15 minutes a day, with no account. Follow each employer's rules on AI tools, and use AI to prepare beforehand.
Hear how your answers really sound
Practice the tricky questions in a free AI mock interview. Answer out loud and get each answer scored out of 10, with what to fix and a model answer. No credit card needed.
Try a free AI mock interviewFAQ
What should you not say at the start of an interview?
Avoid complaining about traffic, the weather or how busy you are, and avoid opening with questions about pay or perks. A simple greeting, a thank-you for their time and a little small talk is enough.
Is it OK to say "I don't know" in an interview?
Yes, as long as you don't stop there. Say what you do know, explain how you would find the answer, or reason through it out loud. Bluffing is usually worse than an honest gap.
Should you talk about salary in a first interview?
If the recruiter or interviewer asks, answer with a researched range. If they don't, it's usually better to wait until later in the process, or ask the recruiter about the range rather than the hiring manager.
How do you talk about a bad former employer without sounding negative?
Describe the facts neutrally and focus on what you want next. For example: "The company changed direction, and I want to work on products that are still growing." Avoid naming or blaming individuals.
What should you not say at the end of an interview?
Avoid "I don't have any questions" and "Did I get the job?" Instead, ask a prepared question, restate your interest in one sentence, and ask about next steps.
Is it bad to say you're nervous in an interview?
Not if you say it once and move on. Interviewers expect some nerves. It becomes a problem when you keep apologizing, because it pulls attention away from your answers.