A job interview gives a prospective employer a snapshot of who you are. In many ways, it’s similar to a first date insofar as you are being evaluated not just for your “on-paper” qualities, but also for your personality. It matters whether you’re friendly or stand-offish. Whether you seem confident and composed, or shy and uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter how outstanding your resume is – if you make a bad impression in your interview, your interviewer will have second thoughts. And that means you may never get a call back.

One the fastest ways to give an interviewer a bad impression is being negative in your interview. More often than not, job seekers let negativity creep in when they are speaking about a bad experience at a past job, or with a past employer.

“I hated working there.”

“My boss was a jerk.”

“My co-workers were terrible.”

Do these comments sound familiar? Far too many people make the mistake of saying bad things about their past work experience. And the only person they end up hurting is themselves.

Here’s why. Even if your past boss was a jerk, your co-workers were terrible, and you really did hate your job, the message that these comments send to a prospective employer is that are difficult to work with, and lack the wherewithal to know when and how to be professional. An interviewer wants to hear about your strengths. They want to know what you’ve learned or gained through your past job experiences. They don’t want to hear you complain.

Instead of saying you “hated your job,” why not say “it wasn’t the right fit for me but I learned a lot about _____.” Or, rather than talking about how much you disliked your past boss or co-workers, talk about how you’re looking for a position in a positive atmosphere where you’ll be able to work collaboratively and be part of a strong team. See how much better that sounds?

So keep the negativity to yourself and find a way to put a positive spin on things. It will all be worth it when you get that phone call saying “You’re hired!”

Looking for a job in the GTA or Southwestern Ontario? We have offices in Toronto, Newmarket, Milton, and St. Thomas. Contact HCR today!