A Boutique Staffing Agency

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, 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.