Job Interview Topics You Should Avoid

You can dress professionally, carry a briefcase and smile your brightest, but you still need to ask the right questions - and give the right answers - during a job interview.

There are some obvious topics you should avoid in a job interview - much like a dinner party - such as sex, politics and religion (unless you're applying for a job as a stripper, lobbyist or minister, respectively). But job interviews require more than avoiding standard "touchy" subjects. You should also avoid some topics that you might be tempted to mention, like…

Your arrival: The interviewer does not want to know about the heavy traffic, the pouring rain or the accident on the highway. Skip the chit chat about your journey to the interview and focus your attention on the interviewer.

Salary: Do not ask about the salary, pay, benefits or other financial aspects of the job unless the interviewer mentions it first. It's a bad idea to "talk money" early in an interview. Not only does it portray you as someone who's just working for a paycheck - rather than dedicating your service to the company - but it also implies overconfidence about your odds of being hired.

The ex-boss: Job interviews are not the time to rehash the past - especially if the past involves a horrid ex-boss that treated you like a servant. Avoid any personal discussion about your previous boss. If the interviewer asks about companies that employed you in the past, stay professional and avoid insults or disparaging remarks.

Your spouse: Unless it's directly related to the job - if, for example, your spouse is also employed with the company - avoid any mention of family or friends. Discussing your spouse, mother, brother or best friend makes it seem as if you have a hard time separating work and personal life.

Your health: No one needs to know about your bunions or backaches - especially not a potential employer. If you have an illness that would require the company to accommodate you, you should mention that in the interview. But if you simply see an opportunity to mention your ingrown hairs, it's probably best to let that opportunity pass.