What an interviewer does not want to hear

If you’ve got as far as the interview, don’t wreck your chances by shooting yourself in the foot.

What an interview wants to know at this point is:
- can you do the job
- do you want the job
- will you fit in

So while you shouldn’t be tempted to lie about your abilities, neither should you show doubts or false modesty.

If you’re asked about a skill or area of expertise that you don’t have, try these approaches:

- ask how critical it is to the role
- for a technical skill, ask how difficult it would be to learn / master; and how similar it is to other skills you have
- assess how much support or training you’d need to get up to speed

The key is to leave your interviewer thinking not that you can’t do something, but that you’re prepared to learn.

Photo credit: Rhys Asplundh