interview

Learning How to Become a Money Master From Author David Bach

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 18:13:05 +0000

Entering the working world is particularly harsh nowadays, and twenty-somethings trying to juggle their student loan debt, possible credit card debt, and low wages understandably feel discouraged and exhausted. While debt can become isolating, it's important to remember that you're not alone, and The Latte Factor (available May 7), by best-selling author David Bach is the perfect companion for those struggling to make ends meet.

We had the honor of chatting with author David Bach about The Latte Factor, and he offered some additional financial wisdom for people young and old trying to manage their money.

Wise Bread: David, THE LATTE FACTOR, Why You Don’t Have To Be Rich To Live Rich is your 13th book. You've written nine consecutive New York Times best-sellers, including your most popular book, The Automatic Millionaire, which spent nearly a decade on the best-seller list. You have over 7 million books in print. Why this book now? Also, THE LATTE FACTOR is written as a parable. What made you, for the first time ever, want to write a story-based book?

David Bach: I've been wanting to write this book for well over a decade, ever since I went on The Oprah Winfrey Show with The Automatic Millionaire and shared the power of the latte factor on her stage. Since then, I've wanted to put out a short book that told a story people could read in 90 minutes to learn the most important principles about money.

I've always been inspired by parables and short books that are easy to read. One great example is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which is one of the greatest books ever written. Other examples include Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, who also wrote The One Minute Manager with Kenneth Blanchard. Those books have touched tens of millions of people all over the world. That's my goal with The Latte Factor.

I want this book to inspire the 98 percent of people around the world who want to be smarter with their money, who want to buy their financial freedom, but because they're living paycheck to paycheck, they don't know where to start. I want this book to reach the 98 percent of people who wouldn't normally read a book about money. Even though I've sold 7 million books, I know I haven't even scratched the surface of reaching the number of people who need to be reached. I believe this book, in particular, will connect with the 100 million young people in this country who are Millennials and Generation Z. These young people want to live the American dream, but many are starting to lose hope.

Don't get me wrong, this book also applies to the Baby Boomers. But I believe a lot of Baby Boomers will buy this book for themselves and then turn around and give it to their children and grandchildren because they know it's so much easier to become financially free when you start young. The number one thing people always say to me is, "I wish I had known how to do this when I was younger." I think this book will be a popular gift, especially around graduation time, and it's written in such a way that even a teenager could understand the important financial lessons that are being communicated.

WB: The Latte Factor comes out on May 7. Before it's even been released, what are some things that excite you about this book and its potential?

DB: As a matter of fact, the greatest personal satisfaction for me with this book has already happened, and that is I got my 15-year-old son, Jack, to read it. Keep in mind, he's never read any of my other books because he's not interested in them yet. Since The Latte Factor is a story, he gave it a shot and ended up reading it cover to cover in two days. When he finished it, he turned to me and said two things, the first of which was, "Dad, is this real?" He was pointing to a chart in the book that showed how a young person could have over $1 million by the age of 65 if they started saving at age 19.

I told him it was real thanks to the miracle of compound interest. His next question was, "When do I pay taxes on it?" I explained that with a traditional IRA account, he wouldn't have to pay taxes on the money until he took it out. His eyes lit up at that point, and he asked, "How do I get one of these accounts? I can have way more than that because I’ll be starting at 15, not 19." So, at age 15, my son is asking all the right questions and he's motivated to be financially free because of this book. That's a huge victory.

Another thing to know about this book is that it's not just about money, which is where the second victory comes in for me. You see, this book is also about going after your dreams and the need to take risks to reach your dreams. When I asked my son the biggest takeaway he got from reading the book, he said, 'When I got to the end of the book and read the story about your grandmother, I really thought about my life. I realized I'm going to need to take risks in life to go for my dreams."

We recently decided to move to Florence, Italy, as a family. I gave my son the choice to come with us and he decided he would. Here's what he said about that decision after reading the book: "I realized that not only was going to Florence the right decision, but it was really the right decision. If I had decided not to go with you, I think I would look back on my life later and my biggest regret would be not taking the risk to move to Florence."

That blew me away. If my 15-year-old son can come away with those two lessons, I've achieved everything I wanted to achieve with this book. If this little book can do that for thousands, maybe even millions of other people, it's just going to be incredible.

WB: Can you explain the latte factor for those who aren't familiar with it?

DB: The latte factor is a phrase that has gone all over the world and impacted millions of people. I've talked about it in all of my books and shared it everywhere from Oprah to NBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox, and CBS. Everywhere I've gone and in every speech I've ever done, I talked about the latte factor. Here's why: The latte factor wakes people up to the fact that you don't have to be rich to live rich, which is the subtitle of the book. The latte factor shows you that small amounts of money can truly change your life.

When I first started teaching the latte factor, I told the story of a young woman named Kim, who worked at The Gap and didn't believe she had the money to save. I showed her that by going through her expenses and cutting out her latte, muffin, and some snacks she was eating before lunch, she could save $10 a day. If she invested that $10 instead of spending it, she could be a multimillionaire by the time she retired. That little story went viral as I shared it over and over again all over the world. It woke people up to the fact that, in all likelihood, they do have the money to start saving.

Again, the key is that small amounts of money can change your life. Starting with $5 a day may not seem like a lot, but if you combine that savings with 10 percent annual interest, you'd have $948,611 40 years later. That's the power of the latte factor.

WB: How does the latte factor play into the story you tell in the book?

DB: Throughout the book, you follow the journey of Zoey Daniels as she learns all these important financial lessons. Zoey is 27 years old, she lives in Brooklyn, and has a dream job working in the Freedom Tower as an editor for a travel magazine. It's exactly what she wanted to do with her life when she moved to New York and yet, when the story picks up, Zoey is stressed out because she's not getting ahead. Even though she's gotten raises at work, she's still living paycheck to paycheck. Like so many young people, she's beginning to lose hope that she can live the American dream.

One day, as she's coming out of the subway station at the Fulton Center and walking through the Oculus, she sees a message displayed on a massive LED screen:

If you don’t know where you’re going, you might not like where you end up.

Seeing this phrase starts her on a journey of questioning the path her life is on, which is something that many of us do. We stop and wonder where our lives are going. As she begins to share her pain with others, her boss introduces her to a mentor named Henry who works as a barista at the coffee shop Zoey stops by every morning for her latte and muffin. Henry takes Zoey by the hand and begins to teach her some principles of life that she needs to learn in order to really go after her dreams. Through these mentors and the lessons they teach — including the latte factor — Zoey begins to realize she's richer than she thinks, she's stronger than she knows, and that her dreams deserve to come true. We watch Zoey go from lacking confidence and hope for her life to putting in place a system where she begins to create financial freedom.

It's an incredibly uplifting, inspirational story that also tugs on your heartstrings. We have a couple thousand people on our Latte Factor Insider Team who received preview copies of the book and the initial reviews have been off the charts. A lot of people have told us the book made them realize there's so much more they can do with their lives, but they have to go for it. Wherever you are in life, if you're living paycheck to paycheck, you're behind on your retirement plan, or you simply want to wake up the dreams that have become buried in the background of your busy life, this book will give you the direction, the hope, and the road map to focus on what matters most to you.

WB: David, you're also known for the phrase "pay yourself first." Can you talk about what that means and share with us the way you look at that?

DB: The three most important words you could ever hear when it comes to personal finance are "pay yourself first." That's the way ordinary people with ordinary incomes all over the world become millionaires: they pay themselves first.

Before we get into what it means to pay yourself first and where the money should go, I want to share some startling statistics. The average American is going to work over 90,000 hours in their lifetime, and unfortunately for most Americans, they're going to have nothing to show for it financially. According to the Federal Reserve, nearly half of Americans can't get their hands on $400 for emergency purposes.

According to GOBanking, 66 percent of Americans can't get their hands on $1,000 in case of an emergency. Seven out of 10 working men are living paycheck to paycheck, as are eight out of 10 working women. The average American has just six days of expenses set aside. We have to do something to fix this. What we should be doing is teaching our kids about money in middle school and high school, but until then, my hope is The Latte Factor will provide young people with a financial education.

So, what does it mean to pay yourself first? It means you have to get financially selfish and set yourself up so that you're the first person paid when you earn a paycheck. I recommend at a minimum that you save the first hour a day of your income and have it moved automatically from your paycheck into a retirement account. If your employer offers a 401(k) or 403(b) plan, you can have your employer move the money into that plan for you. If you don't have either of those, you can set up an IRA account.

Whichever account you choose, the key is that the money gets moved without you having to touch it. We're not talking about budgeting or discipline here. We're talking about automation. In The Latte Factor, Henry shows Zoey how much money she could save if she earned 10 percent annual interest. We have other charts in the book that show what the savings would be with interest rates ranging from 2 percent to 12 percent. But the number that matters the most when it comes to saving and investing is your savings rate.

In other words, how much are you saving?

You should start by saving one hour a day of your income. That comes out to 12.5 percent of your gross revenue. If you're using a 401(k), then hopefully there;s a match. Most employers offer one and it's usually around 4 percent, so now you're looking at saving 16.5 percent of your annual income. If you're in your 20s or even your 30s, that's a fantastic place to start working toward financial freedom when you retire.

WB: It's well-known that you hate budgets. In the book, Zoey also hates budgeting. Can you explain why you hate budgets so much?

DB: I've been involved in financial services and financial education for 26 years and what I can tell you is that budgets are difficult to set up and people don't stick to them. It's a lot like a diet. People tend to start out strong, but after a while, they fall off the wagon.

Budgets also lead to a lot of fights in marriage because we tend not to marry someone who's our financial equivalent. If you're a spender, you’ll fall in love with a saver. If you're a saver, you fall in love with a spender. When you have two people who view money differently trying to create a budget, it can actually pull them apart.

If you want to build wealth for retirement, a college education, a dream home, or a nice family vacation, budgeting does not lead to success. The secret is automatic savings. In my other books, including Smart Women Finish Rich, and Smart Couples Finish Rich, I break savings down into three baskets: a retirement basket, a security basket, and a dream basket. That's what I recommend: move savings automatically into those three baskets.

WB: Let's talk about three myths of money you discuss in the book, one of which is that if you make more money, you'll be rich. Why is that a myth?

DB: For most of us, we're making more money today than we did 10 years ago. The question is: Are you saving more? The answer in most cases is "no." As our income grows, our expenses tend to grow along with it. It's this idea that when the tide goes up, the boat goes along with it. This is what's known as "lifestyle creep."

Basically, when you make more money, you desire more things and you spend more money to have those things. That's the American rat race. Everything in front of us is designed to separate us from our paycheck. But what people eventually realize as they make more money is that having more things actually provides less freedom.

What I teach people is that it's not about having a certain amount of money so that you can stop working. It's really about having a lifestyle of freedom and choice. But if you believe this myth that you need to make more money to start saving and investing, you'll never start saving and investing. You're only going to see your lifestyle costs increase as you earn more, which means you'll never get to a place where you feel free.

The message of The Latte Factor is that you can live rich now. You don't have to wait 40 years to feel free and have less stress and anxiety. You can live that way today.

WB: What about the myth that it takes money to make money?

DB: The common misconception from people living paycheck to paycheck or even middle-class people is that the reason the rich get richer is that they have money. The truth is most people in the U.S. were not born with money. Sure, there are millionaires who were born with a silver spoon, but most made their money through saving and investing.

Tied into that misconception is this idea that you need a lot of money to start investing. That's simply not the case anymore. Today, you can start investing your spare change. There are robo-advisors and financial service companies that will help you invest as little as $1 a day. So, no, it doesn’t take a lot of money to start investing. But if you get stuck believing that, you'll never start investing because you don't see the point. Saving a small amount of money can transform your financial life. Even if you can't save the first hour of income you earn every day, start where you can.

The smallest amount, even if it's spare change, can make a huge difference.

WB: Let's tackle the myth that someone else will take care of you.

DB: I've been an advocate and crusader for women’s financial empowerment for 25 years. We've had over a million women read Smart Women Finish Rich. My fundamental message to women is based on what my grandmother, Rose Bach, taught me.

She was a self-made millionaire who started with nothing at the age of 30. By the time I was seven years old, she was teaching me how to buy stocks. But the biggest lesson I took from her was, as a woman, you have to take charge of your family's financial future. That's what my grandmother, who was married to my grandfather, Jack, did, and thank goodness for that. She changed the entire destiny of our family. I may not be doing what I do if she hadn't made that choice and taught me everything she did.

The thing that I want women to know is that you need to be involved in your family's finances. Statistics tell us that 80 percent of men die married and 80 percent of women die widowed. What that means is you can't afford to be in the dark and delegate your financial well-being to your spouse. You have to be in charge of your money.

WB: David, your tagline has always been live rich, finish rich. When you say "live rich," what does that mean to you, and how should we be thinking about it?

DB: For me, living rich means that I'm in a position of freedom, that I'm able to do with my life what I want to do. Now, that doesn't mean every day is rainbows and sunshine, but it means I get to spend my life on my passion, my purpose, and my family. I get to focus my time and energy on the things I love the most. That's what it means to me.

The whole idea of living rich is looking at what parts of your life aren't working and figuring out what can you do to get rid of those things as fast as possible. By doing that, you open up room to get more of what is working and what you really want. What I've seen time and again is that the fastest way to fix your life is to fix your finances.

Just the other day, a woman posted in our Facebook group that she decided to start saving and investing after reading The Automatic Millionaire. With that one change, she was able to get herself out of a neighborhood where she didn’t feel safe and out of a job that she didn’t like. Today, she lives in her dream neighborhood and has her dream job. She changed her whole life by reading one book and deciding to live rich and taking action!

Living rich means freeing yourself. You've got one life to live and you deserve to live your dreams. By fixing your finances, you set yourself up to live the life you want.

You can pre-order the book at TheLatteFactor.com. When you do, send the receipt to teamdavidbach@gmail.com and you’ll get a slew of bonuses worth over $500!*

*This is a limited-time offer that expires May 12th. Act Now.

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Ways to Calm Your Nerves and Ace Your Interview

Nick Wharton — Thu, 12 May 2016 09:30:24 +0000

Next time you have a job interview, take a few deep breaths before walking in. Research shows that anxious candidates perform at a lower level in interviews than their relaxed peers. And not only are you stressed to the point of distraction about the interview, but the simple fact you're nervous — and probably showing it with sweaty palms and jittery energy — might mean that things won't work out for you, creating the worst sort of vicious circle.

Don't let your interview nerves sabotage your chances. Use these tips to make sure you get the big break you deserve — and give interview anxiety the boot.

1. Recognize the Telltale Signs

The emotional twitchiness that comes with interview nerves quickly translates into physical symptoms, which can undermine your confidence and also indicate your level of anxiety to the interviewer. Whether it's feeling flushed, avoiding eye contact, or fiddling with your clothing, we all have our own personal range of mannerisms that come out when we are feeling the heat.

Understanding how you tend to react when anxious is key. If you're not already aware, ask colleagues, family, or friends what they think. Chances are, they've noticed the small nervous ticks you turn to, even if you have not.

Interestingly, research shows that speed of speech — speaking unnaturally slowly — is the only indicator that both interviewers and candidates agree is a telltale sign of nerves. All other habits tend to be a personal cocktail of small things that vary among individuals. So if you're facing an interview and not sure where to start, then practicing pacing your speech in answers can help you overcome this most common of giveaways.

2. Harness the Jitters

Feeling nervous, to a certain extent, is actually a massive advantage to you. As long as your anxieties don't become so severe they're paralyzing, you can use the nervous energy to focus on preparation for your big day.

3. Do Your Research

If you already have an interview lined up, find out how many interviewers there will be, and whether there will be any pre-work or exercises to complete on the day. If you can find out the interviewer's name, then Google them. Knowledge is always power. Learn all you can about the company, including what others in the same field — industry insiders and the trade press — think of the business, for a balanced view. Simply following the right people on Twitter will glean you a whole lot of information that might come in handy.

4. Plan Your Answers

Learn how to answer some of the most common interview questions, to make sure you're feeling confident. The STAR technique is useful for planning out answers to behavioral questions, as it forces you to think of the Situation, Task, Actions, and Results of any given example you might choose. Draft a list of the questions you might predict, and sketch out answers, including the relevant examples you might share. And plan how you might phrase any less-than-perfect experiences you've had along the way.

5. Practice!

You have your answers scoped out, now you just need to get them into your head. Try posting the key questions and your possible answers in places you will see them often. Think about the inside of your fridge door, or the bathroom mirror. Then start using your down time to run through your answers. Do them in your head if you have to, but out loud is far better. If you're in the shower, or in your car, talk an answer through.

6. Keep a Sense of Perspective

And finally, cut yourself a break. Everyone sits in an interview thinking scary thoughts. Pretty much everyone has interview nerves, and learning to cope is a useful skill that pays dividends outside of the interview room, too. Ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? And consider whether anything that comes to pass today will still feel important in 10 years time, to get your fears in perspective. Most importantly, take a deep breath, and keep smiling. You'll knock 'em dead!

How do you get over your interview jitters? Share with us!

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This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Extreme Job Interview Tactics That Worked

Paul Michael — Thu, 22 Oct 2015 17:23:13 +0000

Getting a job is hard. These days, it may even be very hard. But so is getting an interview, and when you are given the chance to sit down and chat with someone who holds your future in their hands, you usually play it very safe. But sometimes safe isn't the best answer. Sometimes, like with these examples that came from an extensive Quora Q&A, you have to employ extreme interview tactics to get the position.

1. The Walkout

Let's start this series off with the story that inspired it — namely, mine. Advertising is a competitive and cutthroat industry, and getting your foot in the door, even for an interview, can be hard work. Even back in the early 2000s, before the Internet bubble burst, getting a decent job in the industry was tough.

So, when getting an interview at a place known for doing outstanding work, the usual routine for candidates was to go in, sit down, be polite, let the interviewer tear your work apart, and hope for a callback. If you were lucky, he or she would actually like a few pieces in your portfolio.

In my case, the hiring manager, who was a director of marketing, looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp as he went through my work. "Seen it before. Crap. Not impressed. That's obvious." And so on.

As he got halfway through the folio, I'd had enough. I needed a job, but not one that would be filled with this kind of derision. I stood up, closed it, and politely said, "thanks for your time, but clearly my work is not suited for you or this company."

As I walked out, he got out of his chair and patted me on the back. "Wait, wait," he said. "Maybe I was being a bit harsh. I think there are actually some strong pieces in there."

I sat down with him, and it turns out this was his "test." To see how candidates react to a real ego bashing. Would they cry? Would they get angry? Would they say nothing? Apparently, my reaction was the one he had been looking for.

Moral of this story: Trust your gut. If you really feel like you need to react in a certain way, and it does not seem inappropriate (like punching someone in the face for instance), go with it. Showing people who you really are can make a big difference.

2. The Pocket Surprise

This story comes from Richard Waddington, who had been the same company for over 10 years, and was looking for a change. (Incidentally, a recent study shows 50% of people see their current job as just a placeholder, and are actively looking around.)

Richard had never been out on an interview in all that time, and so when he decided to move on and got an interview at another company, he was obviously nervous. The stress of finding the right clothes and shoes, the preparation, the background work — they can all get to a person.

Richard was also a family man, and as he left for the interview, his four-year-old daughter handed him a little plastic cow from her farm yard play set and said, "Daddy, take this for good luck."

Richard went through hours of interviews, with different people (which is all too common these days) before sitting in front of the VP of HR. She sternly asked him, "How do I know you'll fit in?"

Without thinking, he exclaimed, "I have a cow in my pocket!" He set the cow on the table, over an awkward silence. But, she burst out laughing, and he got the job.

Moral of this story: A real moment can go a long way toward showing people who you are when your guard is down. A genuine laugh, a reaction, something that lets the interviewer see a person and not just a candidate, may feel extreme or risky… but it can reap rewards.

3. The Refusal

Perhaps the most extreme thing you can ever do is refuse an offer of a job — if you actually want to get that job. Or, refuse to do something that the interviewer asks you to do. It's a risk, but for some people, it has definitely worked.

This has a lot to do with catching the interviewer off guard. They know they are in a position of power. They have the job, you want the job, and therefore, they have the upper hand. But what if you take control?

Stephan Bugaj did just that. His career was in a very technical field, and to start off the proceedings he dressed more like a biker than an office worker. When the interviewer asked him to solve a technical puzzle, he said no. Flatly, no. Then, he offered the reason; one that was given to him by a physics teacher some years back and said, "How does putting a person in a situation where they're faced with a difficult and unfamiliar problem and then denying them access to equipment, reference materials, and discussions with colleagues in any way represent a realistic professional environment?"

He got the job. And so did Gil Yehuda, another interview candidate who actually refused the job offer. Gil's story is long; you can read it on Quora. But the short version is, Gil had surmised that the job in question was ill-defined, and was probably not one he should take. So he said no. But when he was then asked for a salary range, he asked the interviewer to make an offer impossible to refuse. She did.

Moral of this story: You can take control of the interview by doing the unexpected. Not in a way that would get you kicked out of the building for breaking public decency laws, but by questioning things, and refusing the requests or offers on the table. It will definitely make you stand out.

4. The Honest Approach

Of course, there's honesty, and then there's boorishness. You certainly don't want to be so brutally honest that you upset everyone in the room. But interviewers are so used to hearing rehearsed, bland answers that a touch of real honesty can be refreshing — and memorable.

A case in point — Michael Shiloh. As an infectious disease specialist, he was used to working in high-pressure environments, and was prepared for rigorous interview questions and techniques. He was sat in front of 25 members of the faculty admissions committee, and they all had questions for him.

The answers came easy to him, as the questions were nothing out of the ordinary. But towards the end of the long process, one interviewer threw a huge curveball by asking, "If you were to design an RGD peptide to potently inhibit the integrin IIb/IIIa receptor, what would it look like?"

Michael was stumped. He had nothing. So, trusting his gut he said, "I have no idea. But if I did know, I wouldn't be here interviewing for your program, but rather there, working on it. And, they'd be paying me big bucks to do it."

Hearty, deep laughter followed, along with the offer of a position.

Moral of this story: Don't be tempted to give the interviewer a lot of platitudes and vanilla responses. A lot of the time, an interviewer will be much more impressed by the truth; even if the truth is difficult to say, and sets you in a less favorable light. (Just think how we would react if politicians were honest.)

5. The Bluff

This is a case of, when all else fails… bluff.

The interviewee, John Doe (who wants to remain anonymous for obvious reasons), was applying for a job as a consultant. And, the interview was not going well.

The interviewer then asked John to solve a puzzle, and as he described it, John could not help the spread of a massive grin on his face. He had recently heard, and solved, this very puzzle, and interrupted the interviewer, saying, "Sir, I'll be honest with you. I've heard this one before," and gave an outline of the solution.

The interviewer appreciated his candor, and went on to another question. This one was a mind bender. A very hard, almost impossible, puzzle for John to solve. He had no idea. So, he did the only thing he could think of. Smiling broadly he said, "Sir, I hate to admit it, but I've heard this one before as well!"

The interviewer did not ask for proof, but simply believed him and said, "Wow… no puzzles today it seems." The bluff worked, and John got the job.

Moral of this story: Sometimes, you can bluff and win. But you really have to be prepared to have your bluff called. However, if that happens, simply use the honest approach – "hey, I was bluffing, I just have no idea how to answer." It might just work, too.

6. The Backup Plan

Finally, we come full circle and finish on another story from my advertising past. Before the days of cheap Macbooks and readily available design software, ad portfolios still had to look the part. And spec work (work done for a client that has not asked for it, merely to showcase your talents) still had to look the business. Creative teams would often employ designers and photographers to help them comp up ads that would not look out of place in magazines or on billboards.

The portfolio of my art director and myself was full of both produced and spec work. The produced work, as it was early in our careers, was not great. The clients weren't blue chip, and the spec work was put together in our spare time with stock photos and rub down transfers. It looked… acceptable.

As we went into the interview, we were nervous. This was a big shop, and they demanded quality. The creative directors looked bored as they flicked through the portfolio, and we could tell they were getting ready give us the polite brush-off. As one stood, and started to say, "well, thanks for coming in, but…" I stopped him and said, "honestly, the work is crap compared to the ideas we have sketched in the back pocket of the portfolio."

They both looked a bit taken aback, but they reached in, and brought out the sketches my partner and I had been working on for much bigger ideas. Ones that were beyond our skill to produce with any great polish. We didn't plan on showing them to anyone, but figured, what the hell. They flicked through them, smiling, pointing, whispering, for 10 minutes. Then they said, "when would you be able to start?"

Moral of this story: Never be afraid to impress people with ideas you do not think are quite ready. Whether it's a new product, a sales plan, an app, or anything else relevant to your career, if it gives you goose bumps, it may well do the same to your future employer.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Essential Steps to Take Before a Job Interview

POPSUGAR Smart Living — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 17:00:14 +0000

Once you've snagged a job interview, the inevitable nerves that follow can make it difficult to focus on preparation. With a little bit of planning, though, you can bring your best business-ready self to the table. Follow these tips leading up to your big moment.

Several Hours Earlier

1. Eat Well

It's important to have a healthy, substantial breakfast, of course, but it's just as important to eat well the night before so that you feel your best in the morning. Choose nutritious foods that fill and satisfy, and remember to limit caffeine to one or two servings. Chances are you'll already be feeling jittery, so put a cap on your coffee consumption.

2. Check the Weather

Check the hourly forecast and grab any extra items that you may need: an umbrella, a raincoat, gloves, or suitable footwear, for instance.

3. Mind Your Footwear

Shoes are important: make sure your pair is both weather-appropriate and easy to walk in, because the last thing you want to do is trip your way through the office. The night before your interview, wear the selected shoes with socks for a couple hours to guarantee that they're broken in and comfortable.

4. Pack Your Day Bag

Pack a small bag with all the hygiene necessities: floss, travel-size deodorant, a compact mirror, and any makeup essentials that you may want to use for a morning touch-up. Include a tin of mints and avoid gum in case you forget to throw it away beforehand.

One Hour Prior

5. Chat With a Friend

Call a friend for a quick conversation that will place you in a lighter frame of mind. Try not to talk about your interview. Instead, focus on carefree, upbeat topics that will put you at ease.

6. Pump Up the Jams

Turn up the volume to amp up your energy. Nobody wants to talk to a tired deadbeat, let alone hire one. Companies want lively, enthusiastic employees, so listen to a special pump-up playlist featuring your favorite fast-tempo songs. Let yourself loosen up so that your personality can shine.

With Minutes to Go

7. Hush Your Phone

Turn off your phone. It's a no-brainer, but nothing screams "unprofessional" quite like a vibrating purse — not to mention a loud, awkward ringtone.

8. Get Hydrated

Drink up: hydration is key to staying alert, so bring a full water bottle to sip throughout the day. Once you reach the office, kindly accept any drink offers from the receptionist in case your mouth dries out midinterview.

9. Breathe

Take deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Anxious butterflies can cause headaches and hazy vision, so concentrate on breathing to clear your mind.

10. Smile

Attitude is everything, and positivity packs the greatest punch when it comes to boosting your appeal.

Have your own interview prep tips to share? Leave them in the comments.

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Using Times New Roman on Your Résumé Is Like Wearing Sweatpants to an Interview

POPSUGAR Smart Living — Thu, 21 May 2015 09:00:07 +0000

If you opt for Times New Roman on your résumé, then you may as well show up to the interview in sweatpants. At least that is what some experts say. The classic font is said to be one to avoid these days, with modern ones like Helvetica and Proxima Nova edging out more antiquated styles. Bloomsberg asked type experts to weigh in on what job candidates should be using, and they had some pretty strong opinions on what works and, more importantly, what doesn't.

Do Use:

Helvetica

There is a resounding vote from the experts for this one. "Helvetica is beautiful," said Matt Luckhurst, who is the creative director at Collins in San Francisco. Brian Hoff, creative director of Brian Hoff Design, added that the font is "so no-fuss, it doesn't really lean in one direction or another. It feels professional, lighthearted, honest."

Proxima Nova

"I never met a client that didn't like that typeface," Hoff told Bloomberg. The font does not come free, but because of how positively it is viewed in the professional world, it may be worth the cost to upgrade to the typeface if you are applying to a job at a more formal company or for a higher-up position.

Garamond

This font is easy to read, compact, and simple.

Avoid:

Times New Roman

This may come as shock to all the traditionalists and postgrads out there, but the usage of Times New Roman has begun to be seen by some as lazy. "It's telegraphing that you didn't put any thought into the typeface that you selected," Hoff said. "It's like putting on sweatpants." Definitely not what you want your potential employer's first impression to be.

Zapfino

This should probably be obvious, but any font that resembles cursive should be avoided. They can be hard to read, overly fancy, and generally inappropriate for a professional setting.

Courier

"You don't have a typewriter, so don't try to pretend that you have a typewriter," Luckhurst told Bloomberg. "You have been using a computer to do a handwritten thing. You haven't used a computer properly, and you haven't handwritten properly." Pretty much sums it up, right?

Comic Sans

Is there ever a time and place for this font? Probably not. But it's most definitely one to avoid when writing up a résumé. It's unprofessional, whimsical, and will most likely be dismissed right off the bat by potential employers. Seriously, steer clear of this one pretty much always.

First impressions matter, especially on a resume. What does your choice of font say about you?

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What You Should Do If You're Stumped During an Interview

POPSUGAR Smart Living — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 10:00:18 +0000

When you don't know how to answer a question during an interview, the silence can seem excruciating. You might even wish the floor would open up and swallow you whole. Not to worry, though — keep these tips in mind the next time you're strapped for an answer.

1. Calm Down

First of all, the most important thing to do is stay calm. If you start freaking out, your body will begin reacting physiologically. For example, your blood pressure will start rising, and your heart may race. Once you start a stress response, you won't be thinking clearly, and you may throw out answers without thinking. Take deep breaths, and tell yourself that it's OK to not know the answer to the question. You'll just have to work through it; there's nothing you can do to change things, but you need to stay calm to find the right answer.

2. Don't Say "I Don't Know" Off the Bat, and Don't Make Stuff Up

You should not tell the interviewer you don't know the answer without mulling it over. Then again, be careful not to make stuff up, because your interviewer can see right through that.

3. Ask Questions

Maybe it's the question you don't understand. Ask your interviewer to clarify what she said. Go deeper into the question to see if you can get more details that will help you figure it out.

4. Tell Your Interviewer What You Do Know

If you do have some knowledge of the question, then take the time to tell your interviewer what you do know of the situation. Saying everything out loud can start you on the process of figuring out the problem.

5. Tell Them How You Would Find the Answer

Even if you don't know what the answer is, you can tell the interviewer the steps you would take to figure out the problem. Interviewers ask you hard questions because they want to see what your thought process is. Sometimes, the thought process may be more important than the actual answer. They want to see that you can take initiative and have the resources to come up with a solution on your own, instead of needing someone to hold your hand through problems. While you're trying to find the solution, you can admit to not knowing certain parts; this way, you come off as being honest, and the hiring manager will know you are not trying to fake it. For example, if you need to calculate something and you're not good at math, you can respond with "I can't do the calculations off the top of my head, but I think these calculations will give me the answer. And what I can do is use a calculator to find that answer." Showing a little honesty shows vulnerability and transparency. It also makes you more likable.

6. Know the Right Time to Come Clean

Although we mentioned not admitting to the interviewer that you don't know the answer, there is an exception to this rule. If the answer is something that you will only know through memorization, such as a definition of the word, then it's probably best to admit that you don't know the answer, as it may be impossible to figure it out independently. Here's what you can tell the interviewer: "It's a good question, but I'm sorry, I don't have the answer off the top of my head. I will be sure to follow up with the answer after the interview."

7. Send a Follow-Up Email

The follow-up email for an interview could become your second chance. Try to talk about the answer you were stumped on, but be smooth when you're talking about it. And make sure you're only naming the mistakes your interviewer caught and not drawing attention to the ones she did not catch. Don't say something like "I'm sorry I did not know the answer to that question." Instead, tell her that after more time and thought, you managed to come up with a couple of solutions that could work for the problem.

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Your resume worked and you landed an interview! Don't blow it now with a bad answer to a tough question.

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Master These 15 Interview Questions

POPSUGAR Smart Living — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 21:00:05 +0000

First impressions are everything, and making a good one during a job interview can very well snag you the job of your dreams. Interviews can be nerve-racking, especially if it's for a job you really want. The only way to calm your nerves is to do a lot of prep beforehand so you'll be ready for your interview. Read on for 15 common interview questions.

1. Tell Me About Yourself

This question usually takes about one to two minutes to answer and will be your elevator pitch. You want to give them a brief rundown of who you are as a person and show how you articulate you are. Don't start rambling on about your personal history. Talk about highlights from job positions or schooling and how you can contribute to the company with your background and experiences.

Know what the company is looking for. If it prizes technical skills, play those up. Showcase the qualities needed for the job you're interviewing for.

Before the interview, write down two to three notable achievements, and be sure to bring them up during your elevator pitch.

2. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

Think about what others have said about you when you're trying to come up with a list of your strengths. Remember, always back up your points with an example.

Pick strengths that align with the company's culture and goals. If you're applying to a scrappy start-up, highlight your ability to multitask and to take initiative.

The most important factor when choosing which strengths to highlight is to make sure they relate to the position your applying to. For example, if you're applying for a human resources position, talk about your interpersonal skills.

The weakness question is always the hardest to answer. Don't give a clichéd answer such as you work too hard or you're too much of a perfectionist. Try your best to stick to the truth and make sure you mention the steps you take to counter the weakness. Don't disclose anything that will make you look like an incompetent employee, such as not meeting deadlines and getting into conflicts with co-workers. Put a positive spin on the weakness but make sure it doesn't sound too practiced. An example of weaknesses can be impatience, which can mean that you want to get the job done. Another weakness can be time management but make sure you name the steps you take to beat that problem. You will look like a problem solver when you show them what you did to fix a flaw.

3. What Salary Are You Looking For?

You don't have to answer this question at the interview, and you can try to deflect this question until you've received an offer. Tell the interviewers that you want to hold off on salary talk until the both of you know that you're right for the job.

4. Why Do You Want to Work for Us?

Read up everything you can about the company, including the website, news articles, profiles of employees, and any tidbits on LinkedIn. If you or your friends know employees at the company, ask if they can speak to you about what the company is like.

Try to get a sense of what the company culture is and what its goals are. Once you've done your homework, you need to figure out how the company ties into your own career path and future.

5. Where Do You See Yourself in a Few Years?

Think about how you can move forward from the position you're eyeing. Figure out the natural career track and tailor your answer to the company. Try to be honest but not to the point where you make yourself look like an unattractive candidate, such as saying you want to work for their competitor or something too personal like becoming a mom. Stick to professional examples; they don't want to hear about your personal life plan.

6. Are You Interviewing With Other Companies?

Try not to spend too much time on this question and answer briefly. A simple yes and mentioning the fact that you're open to opportunities will do the trick. You can also say that this particular job is your first choice. Remember, honesty is always the best policy, and don't lie and say you're interviewing at certain companies when you're not.

7. What Can You Do for This Company?

There are several versions of this question, which also includes, "What will you do when you're at [job position x]?" When you're preparing for the interview, think about why you would do a good job at the position and what steps you would take to achieve that.

Bring in new ideas and examples of what you have done in the past that has benefited your previous companies. One trick that will help the company visualize you in the position is to tell them exactly what you'd do in the first two weeks at the job. Be specific about what you'd like to accomplish, so it's more believable and impressive.

8. Why Do You Want to Leave or Why Did You Leave Your Current Job?

It's understandable if you were laid off given the rocky economy. You don't have to share the dirty details, but you should be truthful and mention that your company had to let go of X number of people or the department was being restructured.

If you are leaving because of a negative situation, be sure not to badmouth your old company or boss. It just reflects badly on you if you do. You can focus on the fact that you're looking for growth and that you feel this company feels like the step in the right direction.

9. Do You Have Any Questions for Me?

Asking good questions can reveal a lot of your personality and can be the most important part of the interview. Take some time into crafting very personal, well thought-out questions that require more than a "yes" or "no" answer.

Don't ask questions that seem to be too assuming and that make you sound like you think you got the job. Don't try to focus on pay, benefits, and getting promoted. Focus more on what you can do for the company and not what the company can do for you.

Use your judgement during the interview on how many questions are appropriate.

10. When Did You Have to Deal With Conflict in the Office, and How Did You Resolve It?

Be careful when you're addressing this question and make sure that you're not bitter or negative in your answer. You should always be positive because this reflects the fact that you take conflict well. Talk about a problem you faced (preferably not something you created), and detail the steps you proactively took to resolve the problem. The best examples will come from your past experiences.

11. Testing Your Knowledge and Experience

Make sure what you can live up to your claims in your résumé and cover letter, because your interviewer may try to test your knowledge and experience.

For example, he might ask you questions in your field or get your professional opinion on some current events happening in your expertise. Another way to test your knowledge is to walk you through a sample scenario you might face in this new job, and ask you how you would solve the issue.

The best way to prepare for these questions is to read up as much as you can about industry that you're applying to, and brush up on items in your past. Give yourself time to think about how you would tackle the problem they present to you, and don't rush your explanation. Even if you don't arrive at the conclusion the hiring manager is looking for, they may be impressed by your thought process.

12. Tell Me About Your Achievements

It's your time to shine when you talk about your achievements. Make sure you're preparing ahead of time for the achievement question.

Write down three possible past wins relevant to the company and position you're applying to, and practice articulating your answers. Do your best to be specific and possibly throw in numbers to really back up your answers. For example, saying something like "As a result of achievement x, revenue numbers increased by x percent year over year." This will really show your hiring manager how you added value to your past company's growth and reveal your worth as an employee.

13. Tell Me About Your Failures

Be careful when picking which failures to talk about because it can either be a hit or miss answer.

Be honest in your answer. Don't pick a weak example, where the failure wasn't truly a flop. It's very telling if you're uncomfortable with the question. The interviewer may see you as someone who can't take responsibility for her mistakes and grow from it.

You want to make sure that whatever you mention, you're able to explain how you bounced back stronger than ever and how you took steps to make sure that the mistake never happened again.

14. How Would Your Co-Workers Describe You?

It's time to talk yourself up! Highlight your positive traits, and make sure you're not bringing up your flaws. You should only bring up negative things if you're asked to do so.

Think back on what your co-workers and bosses have said about you in your past reviews. This will help you formulate your answer.

15. What Was Your Last Salary?

Remember, you don't have to reveal anything you're not comfortable with to the hiring manager. You can answer this question indirectly by giving the interviewer a range you're expecting.

Liz Ryan, CEO of consulting firm The Human Workplace, writes in a LinkedIn post, "When we call the plumber because our tub drain is clogged, we don't ask, 'What did you charge the guy down the block to unclog his drain last week?' If we do, the plumber is going to say, 'My rate is $95 an hour. Do you want me to come over or not?'"

She suggests responding to this salary question with "In this job search, I'm looking for jobs in the $95,000 to $100,000 range. Is that in the ballpark?"

The best way to prepare for this question is to figure out how much salary you want to be paid. Here's how.

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The 6 Craziest Things People Have Done to Land a Job

Damian Davila — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 21:00:03 +0000

As the job market continues to disappoint with fewer and fewer available jobs, we have to work harder at impressing potential employers.

There are thousands of tutorials out there about how to impress interviewers and job gatekeepers. And just like you, everybody else is reading those same tutorials. That's why you need a secret weapon, a special edge, or just something plain crazy to stand out from the competition. (See also: 6 Unconventional Ways to Find Your Next Job)

So think about getting your foot in the door by imitating these six creative applicants that landed a job with a crazy stunt.

1. The Google Job Experiment

Fact: about 56% of people search their own name on Google.

Unless you share the same name with a major celebrity, you will experience search results without the interruption of any Google ads. That's when the lightbulb went off for Alec Brownstein, and he created the Google Job Experiment.

He created Google ads for the top advertising creative directors, so that the next time they happened to search their own names, they would see a message from Alec asking for an interview. The stunt worked and Ian Reichenthal, creative director at Young and Rubicam, an ad agency in New York City, hired him after an interview. Ian was so impressed that he even went on TV interviews with Alec about the Google Job Experiment. For just $6, Alec got wide media attention and landed a job.

2. Interactive Video Resume

If a picture is worth a thousand words, why are we still using only words to describe our resumes?

That's exactly what PR executive Graeme Anthony must have been thinking when he created and uploaded his interactive video resume to YouTube.

Through a clever script, good soundtrack, and great video production, Graeme was able to gather about 2,000 views within the first hour that the video went live. He believed that the video would better show off his personality and creative skills. The stunt worked and London's Frank PR agency quickly invited for an interview and offered him a job. He continues to work there, and his video resume has gathered over 300,000 views.

3. Chocolate Bar Resume

Nicholas was looking for a position as a marketing professional. Instead of sending the standard paper resume, he opted for a chocolate bar resume with "credentials that would satisfy any organization's appetite."

With 100% of the recommended servings for leadership, creativity, and business acumen, and a 110% for work ethic, this delicious business treat got him the job. This proves that chocolate makes anything look irresistible.

4. "Will You Fit In?"

Here is a great strategy for the next time that a potential employer asks you the usual: "Things get a little crazy around here, how do I know you'll fit in?"

Richard Waddington had been working for the same company for over a decade and was ready for a change. Since he hadn't had a job interview in a long time, he was a bit stressed. As he was going out the door, his four-year-old daughter handed him a small plastic cow from a barnyard set and said, "Daddy, take this for good luck!"

Fast forward several hours of interviews and Richard was sitting in front of the VP of HR. She gave him the usual "little crazy around here, will you fit in?" question. Richard immediately responded, "I have a cow in my pocket!" and sat the little plastic cow on the table. The VP burst into laughter and Richard got the job.

5. The Resume That Took 2,000 Hours

It is estimated that it takes a person about 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything.

A high school graduate took this rule to heart and with time on his side, he embarked on a mission to create an enormous project in hopes of impressing potential employers at Bethesda Softworks.

Alexander Velicky spent a total of 2,000 hours over a one-year period to develop a modification (or "mod") for one of Bethesda's hit titles, Skyrim. Except this is no run-of-the-mill mod. Alexander's "Falskaar" uses the talents of 29 voice actors, provides about 25 hours of gameplay, has an original soundtrack, and is the joint effort of over 100 people with Alexander at the helm.

Take a look at the impressive preview video of Falskaar.

With close to 4 million total views, Alexander caught the attention of Bethesda's rival, Bungie, which offered him a job as an Associate Designer.

6. Attempt to Destroy Own Property

David Germanico was in the middle of a interview for a sales job. The interviewer asked if he had a phone and David produced his very old Nokia "brick." "Sell it to me," requested the interviewer.

David started to panic as his mind raced to find a reason that anybody would want such an old phone over a slick and powerful smartphone. No Internet access, no cool apps, no camera.

Then a light bulb went off. "It's tough as nails! I challenge you to do this with any other phone!" said David as he threw the phone against the wall.

The phone survived. The drywall got a small dent. David got the sales job.

What is the craziest thing that you have done to land a job? Please share in comments.

This article is from Damian Davila of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: How to Make a Decision Between Competing Job Offers

Ashley Jacobs — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 19:00:06 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some awesome articles on making a decision between two job offers, saving on wedding dresses, and how to stop living in limbo.

How NOT TO Answer 10 of the Most Common Interview Questions

Brittany Lyte — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 09:00:06 +0000

A smart, thoughtful answer to an interview question can help you clinch the job. Likewise, an epic blunder can knock you out of the top three. So it's as important to study what NOT to say as it is to practice and polish your real answers. (See also: How to Answer 23 of the Most Common Interview Questions)

Read on for our round-up of common job interview answers to steer clear of. You can thank us when you're in your brand new corner office.

1. "So, Tell Me About Yourself…"

Don't give the interviewer a walk-through of your resume. That's a different question. The question you're being asked is intended to test your ability to answer an open-ended question with eloquence and ease. Don't use "um" and "ah" fillers. And don't blather.

Experts say the best answer is short, to-the-point, and highlights your career and educational background while also shedding light on why you want this particular job.

2. "Why Do You Want to Work Here?"

Ditch the boilerplate answer. And don't give an answer that simply addresses why you want to work in that field. You also want to avoid an answer that makes you seem desperate, such as, "I need experience," "I need more money," "I got laid off."

Instead, tell the interviewer specifically how you can benefit the company and how the job will help you achieve your own career goals. After all, a good fit is a mutually beneficial one. For example: "It seems like I could really benefit the company with my X and Y skills while also furthering my own career goals to do Z." The key is to convey why you are the best fit for this job — not just for your own benefit, but also for theirs.

3. "What Do You Know About Our Company So Far?"

Stay away from negativity — the interviewer doesn't want to hear what you know about the company's most recent round of layoffs or the latest stock market tumble. You also want to avoid giving the interviewer the impression that you haven't researched the company, which will lead them to believe that you're more interested in landing a job, period, rather than a job with this specific company.

Experts say it's best to focus on things like the company's role in its industry, its history, and any accolades, awards, or distinctions it has won. Show that you've taken initiative and done your research.

4. "Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?"

Never cast blame. Don't bad-mouth your last employer or your former managers. Don't go into the gory details. But don't leave them hanging. If the interviewer gets the feeling that you're trying to cover up something related to your departure, he or she will most likely assume there's skeleton in your closet.

Be honest and succinct in explaining why you left. Experts recommend sharpening your focus on how your past job has prepared you for the future.

5. "What Are Your Strengths?"

This is your chance to shine. Don't screw it up by highlighting non-work related attributes or coming off as a braggart. Do away with examples of times when you shined at someone else's expense.

Instead, bill yourself as a team player who consistently goes above and beyond job expectations — and have a few specific examples to back up your claims.

6. "What Are Your Weaknesses?"

Don't say, "Nothing." Don't rattle off a list of negative attributes about yourself without explaining how you've overcome them in the past. And don't answer, "I work too hard" — that's not a weakness.

Experts say the best answers to this question prove that you are self-aware and resilient.

7. "Where Do You See Yourself Five, Ten Years Down the Road?"

Don't intimate that you have no idea what you'd like your future to be like. And don't say that you want a job with this company as a stepping stone to getting another job with a different company.

Interviewers want to hear about your career goals and how a job with their company could help you fulfill them. They want to hear that you have a plan, even if it's fluid. They want to know that you're thoughtful and not haphazard in your career decisions.

8. "What Kind of Salary Are You Looking For?"

Steer clear of the following responses: "I haven't thought about that yet," "I'll take any salary," "I'm sure whatever you offer is fine," "My last salary was X. I'd like a little more than that." And don't just pick an arbitrary number.

Know your worth. And arm yourself with the research and data to back it up. If you want a salary in the $100,000 range, it better be because other people in similar jobs at similar companies are making that amount. It's also smart to consider factors like geography and cost of living expenses. Website likes salary.com, payscale.com, and glassdoor.com can help with this task.

9. "Why Should I Hire You?"

These are all major no-no's: "Because I really need the money." "Because I think this job could help me learn this skills I need to do X." "Because I think a job at your company would look great on my resume." "Because I'm fun and easy to work with."

Better answers are honest, highlight your confidence in yourself and your skill set, and exemplify why you're a great fit for the job. For example: "Because I really, really want this job and I know I'm the best fit for X, Y, and Z reasons."

10. "Do You Have Any Questions for Me?"

Do not say, "No" — it implies that you're disinterested or worse, unintelligent. You also should not ask the interviewer what he or she thinks are your chances of landing the job.

The right answer is always, "Yes." You might have questions about the company culture or how on-the-job success is measured. Maybe you want to know what qualities the company most values in new hires or what a typical day on the job would like. Whatever the questions, just make sure you ask them. It'll show that you're interested, inquisitive, and not willing to settle for just any old job.

Any questions we've missed? Ask in comments!

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Best Money Tips: Nail a Job Interview Before You Even Step Into the Room

Ashley Jacobs — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:00:03 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some fantastic articles on nailing a job interview before you enter the room, ways parents can save money, and ways to make $50 in a day.

10 Words to Never Use in a Job Interview

Paul Michael — Wed, 07 May 2014 09:00:20 +0000

Job interviews are tough, if you're lucky enough to get one. A recent study found that 80% of the available jobs in the US are never advertised. And only 20% of people who apply for any given job actually get an interview.

So, if you do have an interview lined up, congratulations; you've already beaten the odds. Now, you have to get through the interview, and once again the odds are stacked against you. First impressions count, and doing your homework on the company you want to work for is a given. But what else can you do, or not do, to improve your odds of getting the job?

Below are 10 words that you should never use in an interview. Read on to learn these words, and understand why you shouldn't be using them. Whether the employer is conscious of these words or not, by avoiding them, you raise your chances of being hired. Of course, we're excluding blatant curse words, racial slurs, and other obvious words to avoid. If you're using them in an interview, you'll need more than a little luck. (See also: The Interview Technique That Will Get You Hired)

1. Um

You may have other variations of it: erm, hmm, or urh, for instance. Whatever your go-to "I need to think about this but keep making a sound" phrase is, don't use it. It will kill a presentation, and your job interview is a presentation about yourself.

Sure, this is not as formal as public speaking, and one or two uses of the um word may go by unnoticed. But if you are answering every question with um, the interviewer knows you are using a filler word to give yourself more time to answer. Why? Are you having trouble coming up with something? Are you about to lie? Are you not knowledgeable on the subject? If you need time to think, simply pause and say nothing. It is way better than thinking aloud.

2. Try

A very wise fellow once said, "Do, or do not; there is no try." That was Yoda, and how right he was.

You can try your hardest to do something, but saying "I try" in an interview is both vague and non-committal. For instance "I try to do about three hours of studying every night." What does that mean? I could try to lift a dump truck with my little finger; it doesn't mean I will ever succeed. Similarly "I try to make the best of a bad situation," or "I try to get in early every day" is just as bad. It means nothing and gives the interviewer a reason to question your response. Cut it out.

3. Hate

It's a strong word. Actually, it's a very strong word. And when people do use it in an interview, it's usually about a previous job (or current employer).

If you are asked about your current boss and you say "I hate him" or "I hate working for her" you are entering a world of pain. Similarly, if you start saying "I hate this about the industry" or "I hate the way…" then you're really piling on the negatives. It's OK to dislike the way certain people do things, or the kinds of systems that are put in place. But to bring out a heavy hitter like hate? That's not a good idea. Hate is a word that should be reserved for your personal life, not your professional life.

4. Honestly

There is a difference between being honest and specifying that you're being honest. If someone asks you your opinion on something, and you begin with honestly or to be honest there are four possible outcomes. First, they'll think nothing of it, which is doubtful. Second, they'll overlook it. Third, they'll think you are actually trying to hide insincerity. Or fourth, they'll think you're lying every other time you open your mouth. Don't fall into this trap. Be honest, without being blunt or rude, but don't say you're being honest. It's a red flag.

5. Perfectionist

This word is loaded, and for all the wrong reasons. Very few people in this world are actually true perfectionists. The word itself means "a propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards." So if you're taken literally, the interviewer now knows you will be unhappy 99% of the time because perfection is almost impossible to achieve in any job. Usually, this word comes about when asked for a weakness. People refuse to give one, and so say something like "if anything, I think I'm a bit of a perfectionist." No, you're not. Put this word in the mental trashcan.

6. Amazing

In 2012, the word amazing topped a list of words that should be banned. As someone who has interviewed many people over the years, the word amazing is one that continues to stick in my craw. In fact, only once has that word lived up to the hype; the advertising campaign they presented to me really did get amazing results.

Usually, amazing is interchangeable with nice, good, interesting, or noteworthy. But as the definition of amazing is "causing great surprise or wonder," it should be used sparingly. You were not an amazing supervisor. You did not do an amazing job. You did not work for an amazing boss.

7. Basically

What does basically mean? Well, basically, it…ah, I almost fell into the trap.

Basically is a way of teeing up events that are complex, and breaking them down to something more easy to understand. The explanation should be quick, and brief. So when a mechanic says, "Basically, you need some new parts for your engine" he or she is saving you the trouble of going into detail about the pistons, valve guides, counter-shift balancers and a whole host of other stuff most people don't understand. But when someone says "Basically, I was in charge of a team of four graphic designers, and we oversaw the creation and production of a vast array of print projects including, but not limited to, magazine ads, newspaper articles, logos, brand identities, corporate stationery, signage systems, typographic solutions, page layouts, point of sale terminals, and annual reports," they are not being basic at all. Just drop it, and explain what you did without using it.

8. Irregardless

A small red wiggly line has just appeared under the word irregardless as I write this; that means my copy of Microsoft Word does not believe this is a real word. It does appear in many dictionaries though, and it has been in conversation since the late 19th century. But that doesn't make it acceptable.

The word irregardless is a melding of two words — regardless and irrespective. They both mean exactly the same thing. So using this is word shows a lack of respect, or understanding, of language; that's not a great idea during an interview. It also makes some people go nuts, and you don't want to risk your interviewer being one of those people. Just use regardless, and drop the pointless prefix.

9. Whatever

So let's be clear on this. If you use it in the "whatever project was put in front of me, I approached it with vigor" kind of way, you'll probably be OK. It's the dismissive whatever that should be struck from your lexicon. If you're using it to say you didn't care about the outcome of something, you should find another word…and quickly. A few years ago, whatever ranked as one of the most annoying words used by Americans. "They overlooked me for a pay raise. Hey, whatever." That will not stand you in good stead. If you want to say it was no problem, say it and justify it. But don't sound like a facetious valley girl.

10. I

You know what they say — there is no I in TEAM. If you use I a lot, you're focusing everything on yourself and not on the job or the employer. While you should certainly be promoting yourself, you really need to be careful with the use of I. Use it too often, and you will begin to come across as some self-centered egomaniac that has only one subject to talk about — yourself. Instead of using I, find ways to turn the sentences around. Instead of saying "I am a hard worker" say "My work ethic is strong, and greatly benefited my last employer." Instead of "I am a great with budgets" try "Budget management was very important to me in my last position." You're saying the same things without turning it into a "look at me, look at me" party. (See also: Things You did Wrong at Your Last Job Interview)

Are you an employer who has specific words and phrases that really bug you? Let us know what they are and how interviewees can avoid them.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: Essential Steps to Take Before a Job Interview

Ashley Jacobs — Thu, 01 May 2014 08:48:33 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some awesome articles on essential steps to take before a job interview, reducing stress in your life, and making money for your monthly bills.

Best Money Tips: Make a Great Impression at Your Next Job Interview

Ashley Jacobs — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 09:00:32 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some amazing articles on making a great impression at your job interview, things you didn't know you could recycle, and what to do if you are a victim of ID theft.

Frugality, Small Business, and More with Thousandaire's Kevin McKee

Ashley Jacobs — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 09:48:23 +0000

I recently had the chance to chat with the hilarious and talented Kevin McKee from Thousandaire! Kevin is a personal finance expert and adds a fun twist to personal finance. He is best known for his popular video parodies and has hosted The Plutus Awards 2 years in a row!

Thousandaire is very well-known in the personal finance blogosphere! Check out my interview with Kevin for tips on living frugally, advice for starting a business, and his favorite ways to use Skype!

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This article is from Ashley Jacobs of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

interview

Learning How to Become a Money Master From Author David Bach

6 Ways to Calm Your Nerves and Ace Your Interview

1. Recognize the Telltale Signs

2. Harness the Jitters

3. Do Your Research

4. Plan Your Answers

5. Practice!

6. Keep a Sense of Perspective

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6 Extreme Job Interview Tactics That Worked

1. The Walkout

2. The Pocket Surprise

3. The Refusal

4. The Honest Approach

5. The Bluff

6. The Backup Plan

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10 Essential Steps to Take Before a Job Interview

Several Hours Earlier

1. Eat Well

2. Check the Weather

3. Mind Your Footwear

4. Pack Your Day Bag

One Hour Prior

5. Chat With a Friend

6. Pump Up the Jams

With Minutes to Go

7. Hush Your Phone

8. Get Hydrated

9. Breathe

10. Smile

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Using Times New Roman on Your Résumé Is Like Wearing Sweatpants to an Interview

Do Use:

Helvetica

Proxima Nova

Garamond

Avoid:

Times New Roman

Zapfino

Courier

Comic Sans

What You Should Do If You're Stumped During an Interview

1. Calm Down

2. Don't Say "I Don't Know" Off the Bat, and Don't Make Stuff Up

3. Ask Questions

4. Tell Your Interviewer What You Do Know

5. Tell Them How You Would Find the Answer

6. Know the Right Time to Come Clean

7. Send a Follow-Up Email

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Master These 15 Interview Questions

1. Tell Me About Yourself

2. What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses?

3. What Salary Are You Looking For?

4. Why Do You Want to Work for Us?

5. Where Do You See Yourself in a Few Years?

6. Are You Interviewing With Other Companies?

7. What Can You Do for This Company?

8. Why Do You Want to Leave or Why Did You Leave Your Current Job?

9. Do You Have Any Questions for Me?

10. When Did You Have to Deal With Conflict in the Office, and How Did You Resolve It?

11. Testing Your Knowledge and Experience

12. Tell Me About Your Achievements

13. Tell Me About Your Failures

14. How Would Your Co-Workers Describe You?

15. What Was Your Last Salary?

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The 6 Craziest Things People Have Done to Land a Job

1. The Google Job Experiment

2. Interactive Video Resume

3. Chocolate Bar Resume

4. "Will You Fit In?"

5. The Resume That Took 2,000 Hours

6. Attempt to Destroy Own Property

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