Avoid These Phrases That Will Make You Seem Inexperienced at Work

Young people entering the workforce are often told to “fake it ’til you make it” and act as if they know what they’re talking about, even when they don’t. While this isn’t always the best advice, don’t veer too far in the other direction and make it seem like you’re just getting started. To avoid appearing inexperienced at work, you can avoid these common phrases.

Avoid these phrases that indicate you are inexperienced at work.

A previous Lifehacker post focused on how to avoid appearing immature at work, such as relying on filler words and calling women “girls” and co-workers “dude,” “bro,” or “man.” But it’s entirely possible to appear completely mature and yet inadvertently draw attention to the fact that you may be new to the office or the profession in general.

According to Adrian Granzella Larsen , founding editor-in-chief of The Muse, avoid using these phrases at work if you want to sound more respectable:

“Hi, I’m [name].”

This is fine at happy hour, but introducing yourself only by your first name will prevent the person you’re talking to from knowing anything more about you and why you belong.

Instead, Granzella Larssen suggests introducing yourself, your first and last name, and why you are participating in the meeting or project—something like, “Hi, I’m Jane Doe and I’m on the business development team. »

“I am [junior level position].”

In the previous example, you may have wondered why Granzella Larssen didn’t offer to introduce herself by your specific position rather than your team or department. The reason for this is that your title when you are just starting out in your career may not be exactly impressive and may draw attention to your lack of experience.

If so, leave it general. Instead of introducing yourself as “assistant editor,” say something like, “I’m a member of the editorial team.”

“I have to ask my boss.”

Regardless of your position in the workplace, there will always be decisions that you cannot make unilaterally. While this is completely normal and expected, there is no need to draw attention to it.

Instead, Granzella Larssen recommends appearing like a “thoughtful employee” rather than someone else’s subordinate. For example, you could say something like, “This plan sounds great—let me discuss it with my team before moving forward.”