Interview red flags
What not to say in an interview, and the red flags it sends
Don't badmouth a past employer, blame others, end a story before the result, give away your current pay or say you'll take anything. Say what you did, how it turned out and why you want this job. A scored practice interview can show you which of these you do.
Interview red flags, and what to say instead
In a 2018 CareerBuilder survey on interview mistakes, 1,014 hiring and HR managers named their instant deal breakers. Being caught lying topped the list at 71%. Others included seeming arrogant or entitled (59%), seeming to lack accountability (52%), talking negatively about a current or former employer (48%) and knowing nothing about the job or company (45%).
For most roles, NailedIt's scorecard checks the hiring manager interview for the five below and lists each one it hears, with the words that raised it.
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Badmouthing a former employer, manager or coworker
Don't say“My last manager was impossible to work for.”
Robert Half tells hiring managers to expect you to talk about them the same way.
Say instead“I do my best work with clear goals and regular feedback, and I'm looking for a team that runs that way.”
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Blaming others for an outcome you were part of
Don't say“The other team missed their deadline, so the launch slipped.”
LinkedIn's recruiting blog lists blaming others among the red flags recruiters should heed.
Say instead“I should have [what you'd do differently]. Since then I [what you changed].”
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An answer with no outcome
Don't say“…and then we moved on to the next project.”
Amazon's interview guide says the most important part of a story is the measurable outcome and what you learned.
Say instead“In the end, [what changed], from [before] to [after].”
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Claiming a result you didn't personally cause
Don't say“I launched the new app,” about a launch your whole team did.
A recruiter quoted by SHRM says candidates who talk about accomplishments they didn't own “lose credibility and my trust.”
Say instead“The team launched [project]. My part was [what you did], and it [result].”
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Sharing something you shouldn't have
Don't sayA client's name, internal figures or a coworker's private details.
InsteadDescribe the client by type, like “a large retail client,” and leave out names and internal numbers.
Red flags on the recruiter screen
Indeed's guide for employers says phone screening questions are “usually used to eliminate candidates.” The practice recruiter screen's scorecard checks for the six below, and for badmouthing.
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A vague answer about leaving or a gap
Don't say“It's a long story.”
A staffing executive quoted by SHRM tells recruiters to note concerns like an unexplained gap before the call.
Say instead“I left [company] in [month] because [one plain reason]. Since then I've [what you did], and this role is the next step.”
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Saying you'll take anything
Don't say“Honestly, I'll take anything at this point.”
SHRM reports that recruiters are turned off by a desperate willingness to take any job.
Say instead“I'm focused on [type of role], and this one fits because [reason].”
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A reason that would fit any job
Don't say“It seems like a great company.”
LinkedIn's recruiting blog notes that when asked why they want the job, “many candidates come prepared with a canned response.”
Say instead“Your posting says you need [a duty]. I've done that at [company], and it's the work I want more of.”
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Your current pay, or your lowest number
Don't say“I'm making [amount] now, and I can't go below [amount].”
In an experiment with hundreds of recruiters, the pay a candidate disclosed moved the salary offer.
Say instead“I keep my current pay private, but for this role I'm targeting [your range].”
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Months before you could start, with no reason
Don't say“Probably not for a few months.”
Indeed's guide for employers says that when the schedule is fixed, a lack of availability can rule you out immediately.
Say instead“I can start on [date]. I need [weeks] to [give notice or finish a project].”
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Offers you don't have
Don't say“I have a couple of other offers,” when you don't.
Being caught lying topped the CareerBuilder survey's deal breakers. Mention other interviews only if they're real.
Say instead“I'm in a couple of other processes, and I can share the timing if it helps.”
Phone screen questions, with what to say to each →
How to answer “Why do you want to work here?” →
How to answer the salary question →
When the offer comes. In the practice salary negotiation, the scorecard also flags saying yes on the call, asking for less than they offered, apologizing for asking, an ultimatum, and an offer or figure you later contradict.
Red flags on your résumé you'll have to explain out loud
For gaps and frequent job changes, Indeed's guide for employers tells screeners to ask rather than rule you out, and says that in many cases “a simple explanation may be all you need to dismiss any concerns.” Have two plain sentences ready for each red flag below.
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A gap in your work history
Don't say“I was just taking some time off.”
In a 2022 LinkedIn survey, 52% of hiring managers said candidates should bring up a career break themselves and say what they learned.
Say instead“I took [time] off to [reason]. During that time I [what you did], and I'm ready to get back to [work].”
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Short stints at several jobs
Don't say“The last two places just weren't a fit.”
In a 2018 Robert Half survey, 44% of CFOs said they were not at all likely to hire a job hopper, because they want to avoid losing them.
Say instead“Each move added something: [first skill], then [second]. This role uses both, and I want to build on them here.”
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Being fired or laid off
Don't say“I couldn't stand my boss, so they let me go.”
A recruiter quoted by SHRM says answers like that make her ask how you'd handle your next boss.
Say instead“I was let go from [company] in [month]. [One honest sentence on why.] Since then I've [what you changed].”
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Being told you're overqualified
Don't say“I know I'm overqualified, but I just need something.”
Indeed's guide for employers warns that an overqualified hire may move on, and suggests asking why you applied and whether you'd take a lower salary. Have an honest answer to both.
Say instead“I applied because I want to [the core work of this role], and the range works for me.”
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Changing careers
Don't say“I'm not sure what I want yet.”
One hiring manager quoted by LinkedIn says a career changer “may have trouble adapting to a brand new team.” She also looks at candidates' side projects.
Say instead“The part of my job I like most is [task]. I want to do that full time, and this role is mostly that.”
How to explain a gap in employment →
Reasons for leaving a job, including job hopping, being fired and changing direction →
How you say it: rambling, filler words and pace
In one study, professional recruiters were more interested in hiring candidates when they heard a pitch than when they read the same words. The candidates hadn't expected their voice to make a difference.
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How to stop rambling
For “Tell me about yourself,” a guide republished by Harvard's career office says 30 to 90 seconds is usually enough, and that past two minutes “it can start to feel like too much.”
What helpsAnswer the question in your first sentence, give one example, then stop.
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How to stop saying “um”
In a study of 138 recorded mock interviews, speaking more fluently and using fewer filler words were among the habits linked to higher ratings.
What helpsPause for a beat instead of filling the silence with “um” or “like.”
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Pace
In a study of filmed mock interviews, interviewers were “largely oblivious to nervous tics” like nervous laughter. The one nervous habit they read correctly was slower speech.
What helpsPrepare your main answers well enough to start each one at your normal pace.
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Sounding rehearsed
A recruitment manager quoted by SHRM listens on phone screens for whether you can carry a conversation or sound “overly rehearsed.”
What helpsRehearse your stories and the points you want to make, not every sentence.
What the scorecard shows. It lists your pace when you answer out loud, how long each answer ran and how many filler words you used. Those are counted from your transcript, not judged by the AI, and there's no camera in the mock interview.
If you're getting interviews but no offers
Your résumé is doing its job if it keeps getting you interviews. The next place to look is what they hear once you're in the room, and some of the checks are built into ordinary questions.
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“What's one thing you'd change about your current job?”
A recruiter quoted on LinkedIn's recruiting blog asks a version of this partly to hear whether you badmouth your company.
Say“I'd like us to [change a process], because it would [what it fixes].”
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“Why are you leaving your current employer?”
Indeed tells screeners to hold your reason up against their job. If you're leaving because you couldn't advance, a role with little room to grow may not be a match.
Say“I want to own [bigger scope], and this role is built around it.”
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“What questions do you have for me?”
The Defense Department tells hiring managers to pay attention to the kinds of questions candidates ask, which “can tell you a lot about their interest level in the job.”
Ask“What would you want the person in this role to get done in the first six months?”
How to ask for interview feedback
If you didn't get the job, you can still ask why, though they may not give a reason. Wait until you have their decision, write once, and ask one question they can answer in a few lines.
Subject: Thank you, and one question
Hi [name],
Thank you for letting me know, and for your time on [day]. I enjoyed learning about [the team or the project].
If you're open to it, is there one thing from my interview I could have done better?
Thanks again,
[Your name]
Find out which red flags you have
An AI interviewer asks the kind of questions real hiring managers ask and follows up on thin answers. Every scorecard lists any red flag it heard, with the words that raised it, and red flags are never behind the paid plan. Your first two scored mocks are free, with no card.
Start a free mock interviewMore guides: Phone screen questions · Salary expectations · Phone interview tips · Calming interview nerves · Negotiating a job offer · Asking for a raise · Practicing for an interview · Answering interview questions · Panel interviews · Why it's hard to find a job · Asking for a promotion