Whether you're applying for your dream role or the job that’s going to ultimately lead you to your dream beauty industry career, it can be easy to psych yourself out and fumble through the interview. What if you ask a well-intentioned question the wrong way? What if you make a bad impression? What if you have spinach in your teeth?Here are the seven things you should not say during a job interview, along with what you should say or do instead.

Common Interview Mistakes in Medical Aesthetics

1. Avoid saying: “I don’t have any questions.”

Even if you’re applying with a company you’re familiar with—you buy all their products, you follow them on social media, etc.—you should be prepared with a few queries on deck, so the interviewer knows you’re as engaged as you say you are. Saying "I don’t have any questions" demonstrates to the interviewer that either you don’t really care about the job or that you did not prepare.What to do instead: Conduct research prior to the interviewYou don’t have to go all Sherlock Holmes and study the company’s full business plan. You should, however, be prepared with enough knowledge about the company to demonstrate interest.Look at the social media feeds of the companies you’re interviewing with. Do a quick Google search, look at their website and create at least two to three questions about the role, their services, or something that you found during your research. The whole point of asking questions as the job seeker is to get more information because you’re evaluating them as much as they’re evaluating you.

2. Avoid saying: “My last boss was toxic.”

You may not be entirely happy with your current or former employer, but saying anything negative about them to your potential new employer sends red flags about your level of professionalism. It just shows bad form and the employer that’s interviewing you may start to wonder if you’ll eventually speak poorly about them or their company.What to do instead: Remain factual and don’t call anyone out.If you’re asked a behavioral question like, "Name a situation when you dealt with a difficult [person]," focus more on how you’re selling yourself and how you rose to the occasion. You don’t have to say that it was your boss. If you’re asked why you want to leave the company, don’t reveal that it’s because you have a toxic boss. You can just say, "I’m interested in opportunities that will allow additional growth.” In other words, pivot without pointing the finger.

3. Avoid saying: “How did I do?”

Look, most of us will never leave an interview feeling like we completely aced it. However, asking for instant feedback may indicate a lack of confidence. The person interviewing you—who may be your potential boss—may assume you’re always going to look for instant feedback on the job. Employers typically don't want to hire someone they think is going to need constant handholding.What to say instead: “What are the next steps?”Essentially, what you’re looking to hear when you ask, “How did I do?” is whether or not they see you as a viable candidate. Instead, ask for the next steps, so you can adjust your expectations accordingly. Leave it open-ended and assume you did well. It’s common to leave an interview wondering how you did, but always stay in the moment. Focus on the next step rather than something that you may have missed.If you are rejected at any point during the interview process, it’s okay to ask for feedback after you’ve been rejected. Sometimes it’s not necessarily about your qualifications, but other circumstances (the company may have decided to hire from within, for example, or the position may have been placed on hold). In that case, you can ask the interviewer to keep in touch and consider you for similar positions in the future.

4. Avoid saying: “This is a great stepping stone for my next job.”

It’s great to be career orientated and most entry-level jobs will help you get your foot in the door. But a potential employer will be wary about hiring someone who has their sights set elsewhere. They need to know that if they invest in your onboarding and training, you’re going to perform at the highest level for their company.What to say instead: “What are the growth opportunity within this role?”Medical employers want to know that they can depend on you, so it’s important to leave that impression. Stay focused on the role at hand and ask instead about advancement opportunities as well as the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in the role.

5. Avoid saying: “How much time will I have off?”

This one is all about timing and how you frame the question. It’s not that you can’t ask about Paid Time Off (PTO), but be strategic about it. If you ask your potential new boss about PTO in your first interaction, it may come across that you’re not serious about working.What to say instead: “Do you have information about the company's benefits package?”Asking about the company's benefits package will provide you with details about all benefits offered including health insurance, advanced training allowances, and retirement plans. The topic of PTO will come up as the hiring process unfolds. However, if you are working with a JobSnob recruiter, it’s okay to ask them for the company’s PTO policy.

6. Avoid saying: “How much does this job pay?”

Of course, you want to make sure that you’re getting paid your worth, but just like PTO, asking about salary is all about tact. People want to be cognizant of each other’s time. So, an employer doesn’t want to go to the end of the interview process only to be told the salary is too low from the job seeker’s perspective.What you should do instead: Let the interviewer guide the conversation.Again, it’s important to discuss salary, but allow the interviewer to guide the conversation. An employer will want to make sure you’re not above their pay range so they are mutually invested in discussing compensation. If you are working with a JobSnob recruiter, they will discuss compensation details with you prior to your interview. Also, your JobSnob recruiter will not match you with opportunities that do not align with your total compensation requirement.

7. Avoid saying: “What company is this interview for? What services do you offer?”

It may seem like an obvious faux pas to avoid, but sometimes you are scheduled for an interview at the last minute. The first inclination is to say yes, but unless you will have time to take a thorough look through their website prior to the interview, it’s best to hold off until a more convenient time.What to say instead: “I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity! I would like to schedule the interview after I have a little time to prepare."You should always be prepared, whether it’s that first interview or it’s the last. You don’t want to be caught off guard or seem unknowledgeable about the role and/or company. This will make the interviewer feel that you aren't excited about their company or the opportunity.