Most of us know what it’s like to come away from an interview and agonize over it, combing over every comment we made and cringing at how the conversation went.

Nerves make everything feel that much worse. But it’s important not to spiral into despair during the process; one blunder will likely not ruin your chances of securing the role.

You can mitigate post-interview stress by avoiding this list of the worst things to say in a job interview and having a few tricks in your back pocket for how to recover if you do say the wrong thing.

1. “My company doesn’t provide me enough support

You may lack sales of products or devices and feel like a lone wolf out there with no interaction from anyone on your team except you daily call from your District Sales Manager asking how many accounts did you visit that day. However if you state in an interview that you didn’t or don’t feel that you were provided enough support in your role to effectively do your job, it will immediately sound like an excuse.

Future employers are looking for professionalism and a positive attitude — they want to know that you’re going to fit in at their workplace, not bad mouth them to the next company you apply to work for and not make excuses for your low sales numbers.

The hiring managers in aesthetic sales roles here it all the time as as soon as it comes out of a candidates mouth, RED FLAG. They immediately think you are lazy, need your hand held and are blaming others for not teaching you enough or training you enough etc.

I look at it this way. If you were 8 years old and home by yourself (when it used be be acceptable for you to be alone at home at 8 years old, lol) and you were hungry, would you starve waiting for an adult to return home from work or would you figure out how to spread peanut butter and jelly on bread and make a sandwich? So the candidates these companies are looking for need candidates who can make PB&J and not complain.

To recover? If you do find yourself slipping into negativity around your current workplace, switch your focus to what you have learned in the role — and what you are especially looking forward to in the new position you want to take on. Include anecdotes that demonstrate how flexible, approachable, and collaborative you can be.

2. “I am interviewing elsewhere, so…”

Feigned disinterest is not a good look. Alongside “I’m definitely the best person for the job” and “My greatest weakness is that I’m a perfectionist,” these are the types of comments that could easily make you seem overconfident. It may work if your hiring manager is desperate to fill the position, but more likely, you will come across as disingenuous.

I actually don’t mind this one so much. I want to know if my candidates are interviewing at any other aesthetic companies and I ask them that usually in my first LinkedIn communication to them. I want to know what phase they are at in the interview process and if they have already been eliminated and let’s talk through that. Sometimes there is a final interview coming and that means i have to get my candidate in front of my hiring manager quickly. Sometimes I think candidates tell me they are interviewing with other companies so it makes them seem more valuable, well it doesn’t. It just makes me nervous that they are going to take an offer before i can get them through my process.

To recover? Stress how much this job appeals to you. Let your skills and experience speak for themselves by providing plenty of concrete examples that show your suitability for the role. Make sure you demonstrate self-awareness and willingness to improve. If you are asked to describe a weakness, you can use it as an opportunity to show you are self-reflective and have worked to overcome your shortcomings in the past.

3. “How quickly are you looking to fill this role?”

This is my least favorite question. If the company isn’t looking to fill the role for months or weeks then why are they using a recruiter to search for candidates. Use deductive reason and realize the role is open right now.

To recover? You could say “well I know that Heidi said you have an immediate need for a rep in my territory, but what is the ideal start date you are hoping the right candidate could start at?”

4. “What are the next steps in the interview process?”

If I haven’t told you the next steps in the interview process then I am not doing my job. I would never send a candidate to an interview with out a complete step by step guide about what to expect and who they are going to speak to next.

To recover? You could say “I do understand there are multiple steps and that I have to speak to several other reps but I would like to get your recommendation to move me forward to the next round and connect me with someone from your team that you would like me to speak to.”

6. “I don’t have any questions.” or “I think you’ve answered all my questions”

You may well want the interview over and done with, but not having any questions for your prospective employer suggests a lack of interest or a lack of confidence.

How can you not have questions? “What is the size of the territory, Heidi was not specific with the boundaries of this territory.”

“How did your team do this past year? Did they hit P-Club?”

“Which one of your reps has been the most successful on your team and what do you contribute that to?”

“Have there been any comp changes or changes to the quota that you think will make this job more difficult or more rewarding than it was last year?”

The list goes on and on.

To recover? Don’t leave the interview room without showing curiosity about how the company works, what you’ll be expected to do day-to-day, or what the culture of the organization is like. If you are feeling nervous, don’t draw attention to it — interviewers will expect a few nerves but will appreciate any efforts you make to overcome them.

7. “Work-life balance is important to me” or “What does your PTO schedule look like?”

Of course it is! But, when you say this in an interview it leads the hiring manager to think that you are not motivated by money, driven and will do whatever it takes to succeed because you need your “me time” or you need time for self improvement and meditation. I have to tell you and I think any aesthetic sales rep would agree, these roles do not offer a lot of work life balance and I do not see that changing anytime soon. Maybe you should get a job working at a call center with a set clock in and clock out time where your manager would NEVER text you after hours or on the weekends to ask about an account or the progress you made in sales that day. In this industry expect long hours and you never are really off the clock.

rule of thumb – You never take vacation the last week of the month or the last week of the quarter. You never take vacation the last month of the year. If you want to take an extended vacation, many reps do this in January.

To recover? Once again, steer the conversation back to the experiences and qualifications you’ve gained that relate to the role. find a way to share that you will work harder than any other rep on their team but you also value the relationships you have with your family and want to find a way to be successful in the role and in your role at home.

If you do have something to hide — why you were fired from a previous position, for example — and you are asked a direct question about it, keep your responses honest but brief. Always come back to something positive, like how you’ve been able to learn and grow since leaving your former employment.

Remember, all mistakes are a chance to reflect, dust yourself off, and get ready for the next opportunity, armed with more understanding of how to put forward your best self.