Attending job interviews can be a daunting experience. After all, each company, interviewer, and job role requires different things, so what should you say and what should you avoid saying?
A job interview script can be useful in times like these. It serves as a quick guide on the basic dos and don’ts you should be aware of when interviewing for the best jobs in Malaysia. If you are looking to create your own interview script, you are at the right place.
Things NOT to Say/Ask in Your Job Interview Script
1. “What do you guys do here?”
Quick question – Why are you applying for this role, and why are you walking into this job interview not knowing what the team does for the company? Asking this question portrays that you have not done your homework in researching the company and how you’ll fit in.
To avoid giving out the first impression of being unprofessional and insincere, always research the company, the job role, and its industry before suggesting ways you could bring value to the organisation.
Show that you have a basic understanding of the role, and convey that you are excited to learn much more.
2. “Didn’t I include it on my resume?”
Do understand that interviewers may go through dozens of majestic resumes each day, and you should maintain friendly and helpful. If you are in this situation, it’s better to assume that the interviewer is simply trying to extract more information from you.
You may have included high-level information in the resume, but how about your achievements, statistics, customer stories, and real-life examples of how good you are at what you do? Take this opportunity to bring up and further elaborate on how your skills and experience are relevant to the job role.
This should be easy once you’ve researched the job posting and company – you would be able to customise your interview script answers to match what the interviewer is looking for. Focus on the keywords and answer the question “why should we hire you?”.
3. “What’s the salary like?” or “What’s included in the compensation package?”
As mentioned in this salary guide, you should always wait for the job offer before discussing anything related to benefits. Use the job interviews as a platform to gauge whether the job role and company are truly suitable for you – the money can come later.
If the opportunity seems suitable, let the interviewers know that you are ready for the next steps and that you are open to any subsequent discussions.
4. “I lack the skills and experience for the job”
This is especially relatable for fresh graduates. However, when creating your interview script, try to bring the interviewer’s focus to your traits, strengths, and how you will add value to the company instead of highlighting your lack of experience.
If you do lack the experience and hard skills required for the job, consider mentioning your soft skills such as time management, critical thinking, communications, stakeholder management, and more – with real-life examples, of course.
Do note that just emphasising your ability to learn is absolutely insufficient. Instead, express that you are both able and eager to develop the additional abilities to ace the role, give examples of how you’ve done so in the past, and the timeline you plan to master the new role.
5. “I have no questions for you”
If you are truly serious about the job application, you should prepare some thoughtful questions for the interviewer. The thoughtfulness comes from your research on the company and job role.
Having good questions is useful to keep the conversation going, and they can help you decide if the company is the right fit for you and your goals.
6. “Sorry for being late”
Not having basic professional courtesy could jeopardise your first impression, unless you have a valid reason. Nevertheless, you should keep your interviewer updated if you are facing valid emergencies.
7. “My previous company is bad”
When creating your interview script, refrain from speaking negatively about your previous boss and/or company. You may mention that they weren’t the right fit for you at most, and mention what you’ve learnt and how this company would be more suitable for you.
8. “Don’t tell the others, but…”
Do not ever share sensitive and confidential information regarding your past and/or current company in your interview script. You may have signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) so you may face legal action. This could also show your lack of reliability and discretion.
9. “I have never made a mistake”
Claiming that you have never made a work mistake in your interview script is practically saying that you are a perfect human being. This could be perceived as being unable to see personal faults, pushing blames and being a bad team player.
10. “That’s it, bye”
That’s a terrible way of ending the interview. Instead, prepare a line or two in your interview script to thank the interviewer for the opportunity, time, and hospitality. Finish with a follow-up email to seal the deal.
Before You Go
Now, you are ready to prepare your job interview script and attend interviews for the best jobs in Malaysia. Sign up with Job Majestic today and discover majestic jobs for a fulfilling career and life.
