Recently, I announced to family members, friends and colleagues that my husband and I were expecting another baby.  As we already have a large brood of 6 children, we are very used to hearing the negative comments and clichés that seem to flow from people’s mouths, often with little consideration for what these clichés actually imply!   

Don’t get me wrong, as there were many words of heartfelt congratulations and those who have wished us well on the latest chapter in our lives.   However, these cliché comments we so commonly hear do not exactly give us that warm fuzzy feeling we hope to receive when announcing this type of news.  These comments include:

“Don’t you know what causes it?”
“Don’t you own a television?”
“What are you guys?.....Christians?”
“Are you guys crazy?"

                   ………and it goes on and on.

People seem to think they are being so funny, clever and original when they manage to dig deep and come up with these wonderful statements that are so ingrained in our minds.  I often wonder what response they actually expect from me.  Should I fall to the ground, rolling around, holding my belly with insane laughter because I have never heard such a witty comment?  What would happen if I looked at them blankly and asked for some advice because I actually didn’t know the answer to their question?  Or would they feel really guilty or embarrassed if I answered “Yes” to any of the above.

It is actual a welcome relief when someone comes up with something original...........something that is genuine. 

Over the recent school holidays, my husband and I went out for the day, with all the kids in tow.  A little old lady spotted us and said “Oh, isn’t that lovely!  Large families are such a rarity these days!”  This comment actually made me stop and have a chat.  And what an interesting lady she was!

Then this got me thinking.  If this old lady had been applying for a position, she would have had my interest straight away.  All the others, would have been thrown to the bottom of the pile, for lack of individuality.  In other words, I really believed the words that came out of this lady’s mouth.  All the others just instigated a common feeling of frustration and that little voice in my head that says “Oh, come up with something original!” 

When teaching interview techniques and strategies, I always encourage individuality. This is what interviewers are looking for!  A spark of life.  A pulse. A flash of genuine interest.  Someone that listens and responds with something worthy. 

There is nothing worse than interviewing 6 or more people throughout the day and hearing the same, tired responses. 

So the bottom line is, avoid those clichés and come up with something new and original!  When an interviewer asks “Why should I give you the job?” How many times do you think that interviewer has heard the responses “Because I am a perfectionist!” or “I was made for this job”.  Being different, being unique and responding with a well-thought-out answer, will certainly instill interest. 

If you are stumped on what you can say and do during an interview to ensure you will stand out from the crowd, then you must attend our next 'Interview Success Workshop'.

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