1 – You tell me you don’t like paperwork. Or that you don’t like sitting at a desk all day. Expatriate international development jobs are like 85% paperwork. If we are in an interview, where you’re on your best behavior, and you still mention you don’t like paperwork? No. You’re not right for this job. Whatever it is.

2 – You complain about your last job. Even if it was clearly terrible, this is an interview. I want to see evidence you can focus on the positives in any situation. If you do have to say something bad about your last job because of a question you are asked, I want to hear you frame in terms of how you did your best in a difficult situation.

3 – You use the word “girl” to refer to a grown woman. Just no. International development is about better lives for vulnerable people. Many of those vulnerable people are female. If you automatically discount their maturity you’re a bad fit for this field. I don’t care how good your technical skills are, your sexism will seep in and damage your work.