The Phrases That Are Making You Forgettable
'I'm a team player.' 'I work well under pressure.' 'I'm passionate about this field.' These phrases are in every interview, from every candidate. When everything sounds the same, nothing stands out. And when you don't stand out, you don't get the offer.
Why We Default to Them
Generic phrases feel safe. They're universally positive and hard to argue with. But that's exactly the problem — they're so safe that they communicate almost nothing. They tell the interviewer what you think they want to hear, not who you actually are.
The Fix: Get Specific
Replace every generic phrase with a specific story or moment. Don't say 'I'm a team player' — say 'Here's the time I stayed late to help a colleague prep for a presentation she was nervous about, and here's what happened because of it.' That story proves teamwork better than the phrase ever could.
A Quick Audit Before Your Next Interview
Go through your planned answers and circle every phrase that could be said by literally anyone. Then replace each one with one specific, real example. This single exercise will make your interviews dramatically stronger.
The Less Prep, More Pep: The Workbook has exercises specifically designed to help you find your specific language and stop defaulting to the generic stuff.