Everyone always talks about what you should say on an interview. There are thousands upon thousands of tips floating away on the Internet. But what about what not to say? There are very important rules for how not to answer a question. Below are some examples of what not to say on a job interview and why.

First, “I don’t know.” Do not every use this phrase at any point during an interview. Here’s why; “I don’t know” makes you sound unsure and uneducated. If you need to think about the answer first, do so- but don’t use “I don’t know.” And, if you truly don’t know, state something like “I’m still looking into that. I rather not assume that I have the answer until I really researched all my lingering questions.”

“As it states on my resume.” This is a job killer. You will not get the job if you use this phrase. Employers feel that using this phrase is condescending. The truth is that employers may have skimmed your resume, but they saw something they liked. Mentioning the fact that they may have not looked at your entire resume or have forgotten what was on your resume is a backhanded insult. The best way to avoid using this phrase is to answer the question directly and refrain from ever mentioning your resume.

“I’m a hard worker.” This vague and unoriginal answer shows that you can’t answer the question with specific information. If someone asks you why you should be the candidate that gets the job, “I’m a hard worker” isn’t the right answer. In fact, it is never the answer.

“I was getting bored with my current job.” This answer screams either you hate your current/former boss, hate your current/former company or are having issues at work. Don’t ever speak negatively about a boss or employer and don’t ever say you are “bored.” The reason why is it shows lack of initiative. Employers will ask themselves why didn’t you seek out education within or outside the company first. This type of answer will raise more questions about you. People do get bored. But, if you seek out another job because of you’re bored know that it shows you are not loyal. This answer also implies that you don’t want to take the initiative to improve your own skill-set and then seek to move up in a company.

Interviewing can be a job within itself. Take the time to practice and perfect your answer and always know what not to say!