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When interviewing avoid buzzwords and annoying clichés

Buzzwords and clichés are ‘danger’ words in an interview.

During an interview, nothing is worse than someone who uses overworked buzzwords and clichés in a desperate effort to show they are ‘in the know’ with business jargon. “Thinking outside the box” or “Taking it to the next level” are some of the annoying, overused terms used today and their use in any conversation only shows a naivety of the real world. Others terms include ‘synergy, paradigm shift, strategic thinker, and team player.

Keep it simple and direct.

Don’t pretend you actually know what this type of language means….nobody does. Best to put these ‘outside the box’ terms back in the box and leave them there.

People who tend to use these terms are usual the least creative in their thinking.

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markewicken: Mark Wicken is a marketing professional with over 30 years of advertising, communications and strategic planning experience within the retail and packaged goods industries. He has been a senior member of agency management teams with both account and brand management responsibilities. His strengths have always been on innovative thinking, solid organization and strong interpersonal skills. Starting in the advertising agency industry, Mark held senior account management positions at several multinational agencies including Leo Burnett, Foster, Caledon, Vickers & Benson and Saffer Advertising, and has been responsible for the management of accounts like IBM, McDonald’s, Esso and General Motors. Mark moved from his agency roles to the Client side and held the position of Divisional Vice President of Marketing for Domino’s Pizza International and Director of Marketing for KFC, Hardee’s and Sbarro restaurants in the Middle East. In 2002 he established The Mark Wicken Group, a business specializing in executive search, training and consulting within the marketing, advertising and communications industries. In addition to executive search, Mark has devoted much of his lifetime to teaching, education and youth development. He is President of MusicFest Canada ‘The Largest Annual Music Festival in North America’ and has been an instructor at the International Academy of Design and The Toronto Film School since 1998. Mark graduated from The University of Toronto, took post-graduate studies at Northwestern University, and is married with two sons.