Texting And Other Inappropriate Behavior During Job Interviews On The Rise

No matter how totes desperate you are to tell your bessie about last night’s antics, there’s a time and a place not to text. Job interviews, one would assume, are a good example of this.

However, hiring managers say texting and taking calls during job interviews is actually on the rise amongst new college graduates. Other bizarre behavior includes the use of slang and interviewees bringing parents and even pets into interviews.

Human resource professionals who spoke to CNBC recalled a litany of inappropriate interview behavior, with many saying about one in five recent grads commit such errors.

“It’s behavior that may be completely appropriate outside the interview,” says Jaime Fall, vice president of the HR Policy Association. “The interview is still a traditional environment.”

Mara Swan, executive vice president of staffing firm Manpower, adds, “Life has gotten more casual. They don’t realize [the interview] is a sales event.”

Experts say such behavior is harming otherwise qualified candidates for entry-level positions and causes more and more hiring decisions to be delayed.

The blame lies with the kind of spontaneous, colloquial speech that is used in tweets and text messages says Jonathan Singel, director of talent acquisition for packaging and label maker Avery Dennison. He adds that parents have also been guilty of coddling their children:

“It’s [a mindset of] ‘You’re perfect just the way you are’ and ‘Do whatever you’re comfortable doing.’ ”

If you’re a fresh-faced college grad who’s just arrived in the job market, how do you conduct yourself during interviews? And employers, have you noticed a change in the behavior of interviewees down the years? Let us know in the comments!

[Image via Shutterstock.com]