Bestselling Author, International Speaker, Creator of People School & Instructor at Harvard University
In the last 20+ years, I have conducted hundreds of interviews. In that time, I’ve seen so many candidates sabotage themselves by saying 1 of 5 things: 1. “I don’t have any weaknesses.” (or give me a fake one like ‘i’m too organized’) That either signals you’re unaware or hiding something. Instead: Share a real (but manageable) weakness and how you work around it. It builds trust, and helps you avoid jobs where that weakness would derail you. Example: "I sometimes get overwhelmed by ambiguous projects. I've learned to ask clarifying questions upfront and break large tasks into smaller, concrete steps." ____ 2. “It’s all on my resume.” Hiring managers read hundreds of resumes daily. We literally forget what was on which resume between interviews. Instead: Re-express your resume highlights with insight. Add context: what you learned, why you left, what you loved. That's what they'll remember. ____ 3. “What’s the bonus and raise schedule?” You're asking "How will you reward me before I've proven my value?" Bonuses depend on performance and company profits, impossible to predict. The better question: "What are the ways I can know I'm being successful in this role?" This reveals how they measure and celebrate success while showing you're focused on performance first. ____ 4. “I hated my last boss.” Even if true, it backfires. There's a phenomenon called "spontaneous trait transference." When you say negative words about others, the interviewer's brain unconsciously associates those traits with YOU. Say your boss is "disorganized" and they'll start questioning YOUR organization skills. Safe alternatives: • "It wasn't the right fit" • "The timing wasn't great for us" • "I felt it was important to move on" Most hiring managers understand something didn't work without the details. ____ 5. Any question you can Google • “What’s your mission” • “What does your company do?” •“How you’re different from your competitor?” Asking about company size, basic mission, or job responsibilities (all available online) screams "I didn't prepare." Research-based questions that impress: • "What challenges is the team currently facing?" • "What does success look like in the first 90 days?" • "Based on your experience here, what do you enjoy most about the company culture?" Remember: You want the interview to feel like a conversation, not an interrogation. The more casual and natural you can make it feel, the better rapport you'll build. When they're just reading through your resume like a checklist, nobody's connecting—and connection is what gets you hired. What's the worst interview mistake you've made or witnessed?