6 Things Not to Do in a Job Interview

What you think you're doing: Explaining your skills in a succinct, direct way.

Why it doesn't work: Slayter says claiming you have a trait is not enough; to really convince an interviewer, you must articulate examples.

What to do instead: Look at the job description beforehand and you'll probably see common buzzwords and phrases such as "self-starter," "results-focused" and "analytical." Come up with three real—and totally nonbuzzword-y—examples of how you've demonstrated each skill on that description ahead of time, so you don't have to think on the fly.