Source: This article was originally published on CNBC.

Written by: Courtney Connley, CNBC Make It

Not every job you hold will be your dream job, but treating any job as a simple means to an end is a mistake.

Not only is it a mistake, but your intentions will be clear to prospective employers — and that could kill your chances in a job interview.

Would you marry someone who said, You’re OK, but only until someone better comes along? Obviously no — but that’s exactly what prospective employers hear when you utter the phrase of death in any job interview.

That phrase? Stepping stone.

The first time I heard these two words in an interview was when I was a hiring manager looking to add editors to the business magazine I was running. I was hoping to hire a particularly talented candidate, who seemed interested in the job. The interview went well, and I ended it by asking a classic question, “Where do you see yourself in three years?”

“Probably in communications for a bank,” the candidate replied. “I’d love to transition to that industry, which makes this job such an excellent stepping stone.”

I knew immediately that was the end of the road with that candidate, no matter how impressive her talent.

Don’t get me wrong — I actually admire people who think strategically about their careers. After seven years as a crime reporter, I knew I needed an MBA and a few years of consulting before I could legitimately cover business, and I’ve even advised my own kids to work at certain companies just to gain skills.

But though every job you hold won’t be a lifetime commitment, you can’t move throughout your career using employers for your own needs. Doing this will inevitably backfire — even if you don’t use the dreaded phrase stepping stone, your strategy will become clear to employers.

And treating your job as a means to an end isn’t a particularly satisfying way to live. It’s beyond strategic. It’s beyond ambition. It’s just kind of mercenary. I’m not only saying, ‘Don’t utter the words ‘stepping stone’ in an interview. I’m saying don’t even think them. Even if you know a job isn’t forever, it’s your professional home while they’re paying you.

Instead, approach every job opportunity as though it could actually turn out to be your dream job, regardless of how long you plan to be there. That’s the only way to make true friends with your colleagues, earn a reputation as a team player and hopefully do something every day that’s bigger than you. Maybe you’ll leave someday. Maybe you won’t.

But if you do, in time, it will be with integrity — and that’s a step worth taking.