{"id":48150,"date":"2019-03-19T09:40:23","date_gmt":"2019-03-19T01:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shopee.sg\/blog\/?p=20426"},"modified":"2025-10-23T17:43:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T09:43:34","slug":"career-interview-tips-recruiters-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shopee.sg\/blog\/career-interview-tips-recruiters-1\/","title":{"rendered":"8 interview responses that’ll make recruiters say "thank u, next""},"content":{"rendered":"

Funny story. <\/span>
\nI once had a phone interview with a candidate whilst having the most distressing sore throat. <\/span>My voice had turned scruffy and gruff, and I sounded really exhausted despite my best efforts not to. <\/span>
\nUpon making my first introductions to the candidate, she laughed aloud.\u00a0<\/span>
\nShe proceeded to ask if I had just woken up,\u00a0 because my voice sounded like I had “just gotten out of bed.”<\/em>
\nNeedless to say, I never wanted to speak to her ever again, much less invite her to join my team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Image credit: Meme Generator<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Every day, Shopee makes thousands of phone calls to prospective candidates. <\/span>
\nWe\u2019ve heard from the most delightful to the most vexing, the most outstanding to the most improper. <\/span>Regardless of which description you fall into, it\u2019s always good to have a guideline for avoidance or self-reflection. <\/span>
\nPresenting to you our recruiters\u2019 realest nightmares – 8 things you shouldn\u2019t say during your interview (and what you can do instead)! <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On preliminary questions<\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Shopee<\/p>\n

1. \u201cI\u2019m sorry\u2026 Which company is this again?\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Shopee\u2019s recruiters usually reach out via email or WhatsApp to arrange for a phone call, so there\u2019s really no reason for you to be forgetting who you\u2019re speaking to.\u00a0<\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Writing important details (e.g. company, role, recruiter\u2019s name, job description) down on a notepad. Keep the notepad close to you during the phone interview.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

2. \u201cWhich role did I apply for?\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve been sending out 50 resumes on a daily basis, forgetting a role or two will be inevitable. That said, you should be paying extra attention to the company that\u2019s getting back to you. <\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Doing your homework prior to the call. Read the job description, and focus during the interview. Make the most of your recruiter\u2019s time (and yours)!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On motivations for applying<\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Shopee<\/p>\n

3. \u201cI couldn\u2019t make it for the application period at another company, so I thought I\u2019d try yours.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even if this is the solid, God-fearing truth, don\u2019t say it to your recruiter<\/em>. Not all of us get our ideal roles\/companies on our first try; deciding to work elsewhere (before trying a second time) is indeed clever. There’re bills to pay and we get it!<\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Being wise about what comes out from your mouth. Some things are better left unsaid!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

4. \u201cI\u2019m applying because I need a job.\u201d <\/span><\/h2>\n

Recruiters like to ask \u201cwhy did you apply to join us?\u201d as a way of separating serious candidates from the rest. It\u2019s their way of testing your attitude, and whether you\u2019re more of a giver or a taker. <\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Thinking about the company\u2019s perceived needs and how you can meet them. If your personal interests and ambitions are relevant to the role, mention them so the recruiter can see that you\u2019re a good match.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On job descriptions and roles<\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Shopee<\/p>\n

5. \u201cI\u2019m interested in everything, so any role you give me will be ok.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Recruiters like candidates who are genuinely interested in fighting for a particular role, so don\u2019t speak as if you have no direction for this season you\u2019re in. <\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Choosing one particular role (and its relevant skill set) and going all out for it. If you really are interested in more than one vacancy, express your desire to learn from hands-on practice and ask if an internal transfer will be possible at a later date.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\n

6. \u201cI can refuse to do tasks outside of the job description, right?\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

No matter where you go, you\u2019ll inevitably encounter requests to work outside of your usual job scope. What\u2019s left is your attitude towards expanding out of your comfort zone – managing your time, your boss and his\/her expectations, and the resources you\u2019ve been given. <\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Taking it positively and being less calculative. You reap what you sow – for every additional task you take on, there\u2019s a learning opportunity contained within. You can scream for help when you\u2019re overwhelmed, but for now, look at the lighter side of the coin!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

On remuneration and benefits <\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Shopee<\/p>\n

7. \u201cBefore you ask your first question, I want you to know that I\u2019ll consider the role only if the offered salary is high enough.\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

Chances are, you\u2019re emboldened by other job offers, and are using salaries as a benchmark for decision-making. Being realistic is fine, but not when you\u2019re speaking in a tactless manner that makes you seem painfully arrogant (or ignorant).<\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Being mindful of social etiquette. You may want to cut to the chase, but from an employer\u2019s point of view, we want to know what you can bring to the table first.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

8. \u201cHow many days of sick leave will I get?\u201d<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is the red flag of all red flags. Why do you want to know how many days of medical leave you\u2019ll be given? What are you intending to do with them? <\/span>
\nInstead, try: <\/b>Asking in a more indirect manner, and at the later stage of the recruitment process – if you really have to know. If you\u2019re concerned for your health, you should be asking about medical coverages and in-house wellness programs instead. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Think before you speak, prepare adequately, and treat every interview opportunity with respect. If you can do that, go ahead and <\/span>send in your application through our career website<\/span><\/a>. All the best! \ud83d\ude09<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Funny story. I once had a phone interview with a candidate whilst having the most distressing sore throat. My voice had turned scruffy and gruff, and I sounded really exhausted despite my best efforts not to. Upon making my first introductions to the candidate, she laughed aloud.\u00a0 She proceeded to ask if I had just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":96178,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"2","parallax":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"bottom","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"3","show_author_box":"1","show_post_related":"1","show_inline_post_related":"0"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"no-crop","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-715"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":""},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_bookmark_settings":{"override_bookmark_button":"0","override_show_bookmark_button":"0"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_review":[],"enable_review":"","type":"percentage","name":"","summary":"","brand":"","sku":"","good":[],"bad":[],"score_override":"","override_value":"","rating":[],"price":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"jnews_post_split":{"post_split":[{"template":"1","tag":"h2","numbering":"asc","mode":"normal","first":"0","enable_toc":"0","toc_type":"normal"}]},"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[1318,175],"class_list":["post-48150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","tag-ecommerce-careers","tag-shopee-careers"],"yoast_head":"\n8 interview responses that'll make recruiters say "thank u, next" - Shopee Singapore Official Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shopee.sg\/blog\/career-interview-tips-recruiters-1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"8 interview responses that'll make recruiters say "thank u, next" - Shopee Singapore Official Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Funny story. 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