A recent headline in the WSJ read "Thx for the Iview! I Wud [Luv] to Work 4 U!! ;)." In the article, hiring managers explain why it's important to showcase your business writing skills and how proper business etiquette can make or break an interview.
The Interview manners survey [1], conducted by Vault, a career information website, showcased some fascinating statistics about interviewee behavior, but it also turned the tables and asked related questions about interviewer behavior. Here are some of the highlights:
Promptness for the Interview:
Question for Recruiters:
How late to the interview would a job candidate have to be for you to disqualify him or her from contention?
Survey respondents (105 hiring managers) answered:
5 minutes 12%
10 minutes 19%
15 minutes 30%
20 minutes 13%
30 minutes 17%
1 hour plus 9%
Question for Applicants:
Have you ever been late to a job interview? If so, how late?
Of surveyed applicants (1,647 employees) 76% report that they have never been late, and another 18% were up to 15 minutes late, and 6%admitted to being 20 or more minutes late.
Behavior During the Interview:
Question for Recruiters:
Has a job candidate ever answered a call on his or her cell phone during an interview with you?
Yes, responded 26% of participants in the survey.
Would you disqualify the candidate from contention for taking a cell phone call during the interview?
A whopping 68% of respondents said yes.
Questions for Applicants:
Have you ever taken a cell phone call while in a job interview?
Yes, admitted 5%.
Has the person interviewing you ever taken a call during the interview?
Yes, say 56 percent of applicants!
Questions for Recruiters:
Has a job candidate ever brought a child to the interview?
Yes, say 19%.
Has a job candidate ever dressed inappropriately for an interview?
Yes, say a surprising 87% of respondents.
Has a job candidate ever used profanity during an interview?
Yes, say 43%.
Thank-You Notes:
Questions for Recruiters:
How important is it for a job candidate to send a thank-you note after the interview?
Not important at all 20%
Somewhat important 41%
Extremely important 39%
How often do you receive thank-you notes?
Hardly ever 3%
Rarely 32%
About half the time 33%
Most of the time 23%
Almost all of the time 9%
Would you reject a candidate for not sending a thank-you note?
Only 5% say yes, they would reject a candidate who did not send a note.
Question for Applicants:
How often do you send thank-you notes after job interviews?
Hardly ever 11%
Rarely 8%
About half the time 9%
Most of the time 17%
Almost all of the time 55%
Question for Recruiters:
Is it acceptable to send a thank you note via e-mail?
Interestingly, 98% say yes, e-mail is the norm these days.
Question for Applicants:
Do you send thank you notes via e-mail?
No, I send a snail mail note, say 24% or respondents, while 76% say yes, e-mail is the norm.
At AltaStaff, we tell our candidates to think like a hiring manager during the interview process. Ask yourself if you'd hire the person who sent the email you're drafting. Click send when the answer is yes.