Because of the pandemic and global influx, finding a job nowadays is challenging, so you need to be an edgy applicant. In today’s lesson, you will understand why you need to avoid five introductory phrases. We will also edit them to come up with competitive job interview answers.

Question: What are your work-related skills?

1.I’m good …

Avoid using safe adjectives like nice and good. Using good, in particular, is not good enough as it only means “basic”. It doesn’t make you stand out among the applicants. How do we fix this?

Don’t say: I’m good at using Microsoft applications

Better say: I am proficient in Microsoft applications.

• To be proficient means you are skilled and experienced  for doing something
• To be good in doing something is not enough, so “proficient” gives you an elevated description.

Don’t say: I have good communication skills.

Better say: I have effective communication skills when it comes to giving feedback on projects. I have effective communication skills when it comes to giving projects feedback. I do it constructively to achieve project improvement.

• In answering this question, use the adjective effective and add a little explanation on how you do it. By doing so, you are giving an overview of your work ethics and how you interact with your potential colleagues.

2. I know about

Don’t give an ambiguous answer by using the introductory phrase: ” I know” for knowing something is vague and is not suggesting the completeness of the experience, it doesn’t suggest being successful to it.

Don’t say: I know about blog writing and email marketing that can help in customers’ global reach.

Better say: I have extensive knowledge about blog writing and email marketing that leads to customers’ global reach.

• Extensive knowlege means wide knowledge that equally suggests you being an expert on a specific thing. The “can help” part of the sentence was dropped because there is no suggested result. You have to remember to always lead your interviewer to the certainty of your answers and results that go with them.

3. I did a project

Give an in-depth detail about your project result.

Don’t say: I did a video project that has helped in launching our website and getting more visitor inquiries.

Better say: I have managed a video project that has led to successfully launching the company website and getting more visitor inquiries.

• Managing, Organizing and contributing to a project is more powerful and fulfilling to hear more than just doing it. The 3 words are suggesting an active role or participation in a project.

4. I have a background in …

The introductory phrase only suggests that you have undergone the theoretical background of the study.

Don’t say: I have a background in psychology

Better say: I have a practical background in psychology and have rendered 2 years practicing in the clinic and another 2 in the academic institution.

• Use the word “practical” before the word background to give the interviewer the impression that you have a rich experience and practical knowledge on the job you are applying for.

5. I don’t have any questions.

Take this chance to know the company you are applying to. Think of meaningful questions that can give you an orientation about the work culture and things you are bound to do in your work assignment. Asking questions at the end of the interview means you invented your interest in belonging to the company.

Don’t say: I don’t have any questions.

Better say: I have learned from the company’s vision-mission statement that you want to be the leader in producing cruelty-free products. How do you achieve this most especially that there are independent local producers who are preferred by consumers?

• Review the company background and ask other things like work culture.