How to Spin Negatives Into Positives During Your Interview: The Do's and Don'ts

@Michaelle thanks for your comment. So sorry about the interview and the job. Next time, try a different negative situation. Every interviewer seems to ask that question - tell me about a time when.... so you know that it's going to come up. I am all about honesty but I have found, too, that managers seem to stick together - even if they don't know each other. I have to tell you though, the fact that the interviewer defended the mean boss would certainly give me pause. Why would I want to work for someone who thinks that being a mean boss is not a bad thing? All that tells me is that he agrees with that behavior. RUN!!

I ruined my chance at a second interview at Nabisco in East Hanover, NJ, in Word Processing, by being honest about a former mean boss when the interview asked about how I handled a negative situation. Not only did the interviewer defend the mean boss, but I lost out on the job altogether because of it.

Very helpful. I learned a lot of new tips from this article.

Really appreciate the tutorial very helpful.

@Daniel it certainly does take a conscious effort not to say something negative about your former employer. However, the world is much smaller since the advent of the Internet and social media and it behooves all of us to think before we speak. Who knows. The interviewer may be best friends with the employer who just fired you. You know the saying, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Good advice. Not badmouthing the employer that just fired you often takes a conscious effort.

very helpful

I think one of the hardest things in an interview can be dancing around a poor previous employer or supervisor, especially if you are still employed with them during the job search. The negative emotions are still likely to be at the surface and finding ways to tactfully explain your reasons for wanting a change without dumping on the person or situation that has driven you to it can be a real challenge.

@William that is a tough scenario. There is a new program, brought about by the White House, that is called ban the box. I think it would depend upon the criminal act and the conviction. Yes they are going to find out when they do a background check anyhow but every company is going to be different as to their reaction to the criminal conviction.

How do you spin a criminal record into a positive? Companies can use criminal convictions, not prior arrests, as a way to find the best candidates for a job. If you already know a conviction may appear on your record, how do you reassure an employer that you're not going down that road any more?

Answering the “weakness” question can be challenging. I once saw an old movie where the interviewee didn't respond to this question, and that got him the job. Interviewers are individuals so this might or might not work. And, as this article advises, it's not a good idea to refuse to answer questions. I often answer the weakness question by talking about a software program. I talk about steps I took to learn it, or if I'm still working on learning the software, I tell the interviewer about it.

Thanks for the comments. @Duncan wouldn't have said it better. @Laura truly I understand your plight. You want to be honest while at the same time not being negative. There are probably many ways you could phrase why you left the company without saying anything negative about your horrible boss. Maybe you could say that you have gone as high as you could in the company and were looking for a challenge. Or that the company is undergoing some changes and you feel that now would be the best time to exit. You might be amazes at some of the things that job seekers will say in an interview - including that my boss is a hothead and an abusive bully! Some candidates just let it all out when asked the "why are you leaving" question. Tact and diplomacy are always the name of the game.

I totally agree with the idea of not saying negative things about others. This is because it shows my prospective employer that regardless of a multitude of bad traits in the people I work with, I can still harness the few positives and use them for the good of the organization.

I find conflict here between “Don’t say anything negative” and “Be honest. Don’t lie.” This trips me up all the time in life and in interviews. If I’ve just left a job because the manager was a hotheaded, abusive bully, is it not best to phrase that somewhat diplomatically while still expressing the truth so I don’t look like a flake for leaving so soon? “The work environment was not one in which I thrive,” or the like? Perhaps that is the definition of this piece's title?

@Catharine thanks for your comment. You could probably indicate that you had a health issue that has, since, been resolved but don't go into details. You don't want to give them anything that would put you in a negative light or otherwise have you removed from the running for the position. Many of us have gaps in our work history because we had to care for a family member or raise our kids, etc. Just a very brief response is all that is needed.

How should you explain gaps in employment history that were caused by sensitive health issues that you don't really want to elaborate on? Is it acceptable to simply say that you had personal health issues that prevented you from working for a time but they have since been resolved? Or will HR managers expect you to go into a lot more detail than that?

Question: How can you not become overly productive, when you job as warehouse distributor is to move any given merchandise out and ready for shipping? My question is why would myself be penalized for moving faster when the merchandise is coming at a rapidly pace? My productivity is effective and efficient to get the merchandise ready for shipping or packing. Why would I be effected from working less days cause my fast pace in a fast work environment?

Positively great advice!

Sometimes it's very hard to explain gaps in employment. Reasons like maternity leave or an illness are commonly accepted, but sometimes large gaps could be the result of a lack of opportunity or education. I believe that it's best to be honest, whatever the reason. I think that interviewers appreciate honesty.

Thanks for the comments. @Kellen your question was answered in that yes, they still do ask what are your greatest weaknesses. I think that if a person answered honestly that they have a terrible work ethic that I would be prone to try them out to teach them a good ethic! And to answer your question, no there is not a standard answer to the questions about weaknesses/strengths. So very true @Mike. Sticking to the facts and being honest is the way to go for all of us.

Yes people are still asked that. I had to respond to that question last month in 3 interviews.

Has anyone been asked about their "biggest weakness" in a job interview lately? I have honestly never been asked that. It's a bit of a cliche -- I think employers aren't asking it anymore. It is a decent test, though. Candidates that say "I'm a perfectionist!" are probably too cheesy to hire! What's the best answer to that question you've ever heard? I don't know what I would do if a candidate said "My biggest weakness is that I have a terrible work ethic." At least they're being honest?

Very nice article with some great points! One thing that I would add is "Don't pretend your greatest weakness is a positive." I don't know how many times during an interview I have asked this question and gotten back responses such as "I work so efficiently I make my co-workers look bad," or "Others have a hard time keeping up with me." While it's one thing to spin your ACTUAL weakness into a positive, as mentioned in this article, it's easy for a hiring manager to see right through your blatant dodge of the question by actually giving a "negative positive." Stick to the facts and you'll be fine!

This is fantastic. I read this with much enthusiasm, as every point was salient and to the point! I just left an awful job at an tyrannical company and my greatest challenge will be to NOT be negative or trash (rightfully so) my most recent employer after I get my head straight and climb out on that interview limb again. Thanks for the simply "dos and don'ts"!

I completely agree with the thought that you should never say anything negative about others in an interview. It may be very tempting to talk about how horrible your former boss and co-workers were, and to trash your former company, but it isn't going to do you any good. In fact, it may just make you look like a bitter, negative person. That kind of person isn't welcome in many companies, as they tend to be hard to get along with. Stay positive, or at the very least, neutral.