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20-second career tip

How to say "I don't know" without looking bad

About Rohan

Hey, I’m Rohan!

I write thoughts about life and career strategy a few times a month.

I run Coached, the behavioral science lab, and Resume Worded, the best software for job seekers.

A good place to start is our free 3‑minute, science-backed personality test.

If you're put on the spot in meetings, it's natural to feel like you have to guess or fake an answer. But guessing usually makes you look worse. I've found it better just to confidently say something like:

  • "I don't have that info right now, but I'll follow up with meeting notes afterward."

  • Or, "I'm not 100% sure and don't want to give you incorrect info — can I double-check and email you?"

  • Or even, "That's a great question — it's not quite my area, but let me connect you with Sarah, who would know better."

People love and respect this clarity + initiative.

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Heads up:

Working on your resume or know someone who is? 

Don’t forget that you can get a free resume review here.

It’ll speed up your job search (or your friend’s).

           
Illustration of Rohan Mahtani
Written by Rohan Mahtani
From Coached Weekly, issue 348.

I also send these out by email.

This is Coached Weekly, my career notes where I share the tiny % of ideas that actually work in real careers. It takes 5 minutes to read, but could speed up your career by years. I write this myself (no AI). —Rohan Mahtani (LinkedIn)

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Another tip1 min read

How I think about nervousness

I love when I feel nervous - which I know sounds a bit weird. Why? Because I’ve realized it means I’m doing something I genuinely care about, or something outside my comfort zone (a good place to be!).

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