Recent data on interviewing:
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53% of interviewees struggle with eye contact
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50% of interviewees ask for unreasonable compensation
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47% of interviewees dress inappropriately
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27% of interviewees use inappropriate language
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21% of interviewees refuse to turn on their camera
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19% of interviewees brought a parent
Some of these things are less concerning to me than others.
Eye contact, for example, might simply be a matter of technology. If most of these interviews are conducted via video conferencing and you don’t spend much time on Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams, you may struggle to know where to look and how to focus on a screen for a long time.
I’d also like to know how “inappropriate dress” is defined. Given the enormous variation in expectations these days, this might simply be a matter of misunderstanding the company’s culture.
Admittedly, dressing up for an interview is never a bad idea, but in terms of appearance standards, it’s a more complex world than a decade ago, so mistakes are likely to be made.
Using inappropriate language is never ideal, but again, I’d like to know the definition of “inappropriate language.” This might also be a misunderstanding of company culture. Language expectations can also vary depending on where you grew up and how you were raised, so I can see where mistakes of this nature could be made.
Again, it’s best to avoid questionable language of any kind in an interview, but I can at least envision a scenario in which honest errors are made.
Asking for unreasonable compensation might simply be a negotiation strategy. “Anchoring” involves establishing a number higher than expected in a negotiation to control where the bidding starts, often resulting in a higher offer. It’s often wise to ask for more but settle for less unless the amount requested is egregious.
Again, the definition of “unreasonable compensation” would help here.
All of these things may be legitimate problems with interviewees (and signals that something is very rotten in the state of Denmark), but it’s hard to know for sure.
And who knows? Maybe these things have always been problems when it comes to interviewing. Maybe this data isn’t as alarming as it is typical.
Based upon a decade spent intervening and hiring people as a restaurant manager, I tend to think otherwise, but my data is admittedly anecdotal.
But most alarming to me are the 21% of interviewees who refused to turn on their cameras and the 19% who brought a parent to their interview.
Refusing to turn on your camera seems like a guaranteed way to avoid being hired. Presenting your face to your potential employer is a basic and reasonable requirement during an interview. I suspect that refusing to do so effectively ends the interview, even if questions are still asked.
Bringing a parent to the interview also seems a great way to guarantee you won’t be hired. It’s also an excellent way to avoid growing up and a great way for your friends to make fun of you forever.
Most baffling to me:
What the hell are these interviewees thinking?
Also, what the hell are these parents thinking?
If these numbers are accurate, something disastrous has happened in our world. When one in five interviewees refuses to turn on their cameras and brings their parents to an interview, one in five people are effectively unemployable.
The good news:
If you are a person of average intelligence and skill who knows how to speak, dress well, look people in the eye, and possess a modicum of common sense and independence, your future is bright.
When I interviewed for my first jobs—at age 12 at a local farm and at age 16 at a McDonald’s restaurant—I had to walk into these businesses on my own, fill out job applications, and speak to potential employers like a big boy, absent any parental involvement. I had to answer questions, ask some of my own, negotiate a salary, and agree to terms.
If you can do the same, you’ll apparently be doing better than at least 20% of your competition.
The bar seems to be much lower these days. Terrible for society as a whole but fantastic for those who can still manage their lives like rational, reasonable adults.
