6 Phrases That Make You Seem Inexperienced (and What to Say Instead!)

It doesn’t matter if you’re fresh out of college or transitioning to the nonprofit sector—everyone has felt inexperienced at work at some point. If you’re struggling to showcase your value to a hiring organization, you may just be experiencing a crisis of confidence (check out our tips for correcting that here!).

Of course, there will be times when you aren’t sure about something in your role and don’t want to come across as unknowledgeable. For these situations, it’s smart to examine your vocabulary and discover where you can make changes to put your best foot forward at work.

By omitting the following six turns of phrase, for example, you’ll soon find yourself feeling more confident in your workplace communications.

Instead of: “I don’t know.”

When you’re new to an organization, it’s expected for there to be a few things you aren’t familiar with, from which data points are most important to where the office supply closet is located. That being said, responding to any question with this response will not exactly inspire confidence in your co-workers.

Try this: “Let me check on that and get back to you with an answer by the end of the day.”

One way around the frustrating “IDK” is to share that while you don’t yet have an answer, you will do your best to find one. Not only does this response allow you to get around not knowing something at the moment, but it tells your co-workers they can count on you to solve the problem.

Instead of: “Like,” “Obviously,” or “Ummmm”

These filler words lend an air of immaturity to your speaking patterns. More importantly, using them can make you seem unsure about what you’re saying, even when you know what you’re talking about!

Try this: Speak slower

Oftentimes, we’ll rush through conversations when we are excited about sharing our expertise or trying to match another person’s speed. To counteract this and prevent filler words from popping up in your speech, practice speaking more slowly.

When you’re feeling unsure of what you’re going to say next, take a deep breath and think about what you want to communicate. It’s okay to let the other person know you’d like a minute to consider their question or next steps, especially because it shows you’re planning to give a thoughtful response.

Instead of: “I can meet at whatever time suits you.”

When someone asks you for your availability, it may be tempting to say that you’re flexible and can meet “whenever” in order to sound polite. While the intention is noble, doing this can actually lead to a frustrating back and forth.

Try this: “How does Tuesday at 3 p.m. EST sound? Here are some additional times I’m available next week.”

Providing a specific time slot makes it easier to set a meeting on the calendar. If you still want to showcase your flexibility, feel free to provide 2-3 more times that work for you.

Instead of: "I’ll have to check with my boss."

At all levels of business, people need to get approval from a supervisor or executive. Stating outright that you need to get approval from your manager, particularly for things that may seem minimally important to the person you’re collaborating with, can guarantee you come off as inexperienced at work.

Try this: “Let me confirm these details with my team and get back to you before our next check-in.”

People will understand you need time to consider your options, particularly if there is a financial stake involved. Swapping in the above response gives you the opportunity to leave the call or meeting with time to talk to the right people and come up with a definitive answer.

Instead of: “I’ll try.”

When was the last time you ‘tried’ to get to an event or meet-up with any real intention of being there at all? Further, when you communicate that you’ll “try” to complete a task at work, it makes you sound unsure, inexperienced, and confused.

Try this: “I can do it,” “I cannot do it,” or “Let me work on this and get back to you.”

Wherever possible, try to be clear and definitive. If you know that something is impossible, then tell the other person—an unpopular but decisive answer is better than dragging out the inevitable.

If you are truly unsure whether you’ll be able to complete something, then let the other person know you need time to devote to the project/task. Giving them a specific time when you can provide a definitive answer to their request is also helpful.

At the end of the day, the best way to avoid looking inexperienced at work is to believe in yourself. When you’re confident in your abilities, you won’t have to think as much about avoiding these turns of phrase. You’ll just do it!

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About the Author | Matt Arnerich works as a Content Writer at graduate recruitment agency Inspiring Interns. He writes all about the graduate jobs market, as well as careers advice for graduates. Read more at Inspiring Interns' graduate advice blog.