Forget sticks and stones -- words <em>can</em> hurt you in an interview -- Career Center Blog

March 1, 2012

Forget sticks and stones -- words can hurt you in an interview

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By Randy Woods
NWjobs

Last weekend, many Seattle residents were glued to their TV screens during the Academy Awards broadcast when the Best Documentary Feature category came around. One of the distinguished nominees was T.J. Martin, a Seattle-born filmmaker who co-directed the film "Undefeated," the inspirational story of a hard-luck high school football team from Memphis, Tenn., that went through a stunning reversal of fortune.

In the decidedly unglamorous word of documentary filmmaking, earning an Oscar is akin to discovering the Holy Grail. It can open doors to a whole new universe of projects and funding. In a sense, being nominated for an Oscar is one of the greatest job interviews an independent filmmaker can get. Actually winning one is like moving from the mailroom to an executive corner office.

You would think that a moment of such importance would ensure you'd be on your best behavior, but sometimes, in the heat of the moment, a person can get carried away. When "Undefeated" was announced as the winner, Martin and his co-directors crowded onto the stage, beside themselves with glee, trying to thank everyone they could. Then Martin leaned in and mentioned how much he wished his fellow nominees could be on stage with him, adding that it would be "[bleep]ing awesome."

Only he didn't say "bleep."

On TV, there were a couple seconds of silence, but for the live crowd that didn't have a seven-second broadcast delay, the expletive was loud and clear. With just one word, he bombed his interview--actually he f-bombed it--in front of an estimated 40 million viewers on live TV.

Now, I don't want to overstate this little slip. Martin was in a celebratory mood, speaking to a Hollywood audience who, no doubt, uses the same word several times a minute in every business meeting. He quickly apologized backstage. With or without profanity, T.J. Martin is still likely to have studio execs lined up outside his office for the rest of his career.

But my point is that, when the pressure is on, little mistakes of etiquette can have consequences. After the "bleeped" word was uttered, the audience laughed it off, but the director of the awards show was obviously not amused. Within seconds, the music began to swell, which is the universally recognized passive-aggressive Oscar signal for "OK, wise guy, beat it." Sadly, by being rushed off, the filmmakers did not have the chance to make a public dedication of their Oscar to the players on the Manassas High School football team or to thank the city of Memphis.

Imagine, however, that this wasn't a glitzy award show, but a potentially career-changing interview for your dream job. Most people in this situation know better than to pepper their speech with swear words, but recruiters and hiring manager say it does sometimes happen, and it's almost always a deal-breaker. It doesn't have to be foul language either; many times a job candidate will bad-mouth a former boss or colleague in an interview. What does that tell the hiring manager about your professional demeanor?

I like to view profanity the same way I do decadent desserts: Both are OK only if used sparingly. The well-placed swear word, even in some rare professional circumstances when used among peers, can be an effective way to convey strong emotions. It can even have some cathartic effects. But in an interview, where every word and gesture should be carefully chosen, there's simply no place for it. Unlike lauded movie directors, you likely won't get a free pass.

So the next time you think you've aced an interview and you're ready to high-five the hiring manager in celebration, remember to keep those f-bombs inside the hangar doors. You never want to hear that music begin to swell too soon.

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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Alain Saffel | March 4, 2012 11:37 PM | Reply

I had a job interview a few years ago where the interviewer was swearing like a drunken sailor. It was a little bizarre. Don't get me wrong, I like to swear as much as anyone, but I found it quite odd.

I didn't reciprocate, but maybe I should have. I didn't get the job, and I think that was a good thing.

Liesl | March 14, 2012 5:04 PM | Reply

I can relate to Alain. Unfortunately, on my first day at work back in January, the HR manager taking my paperwork (I-9, passport, etc.) let a few f-bombs drop. I was dumbfounded and left wondering, what did I just walk into? I now know... a bad situation. This advice applies to both sides of the coin.... I'm now looking to get the expletive out.