Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Completely Different Ideas Of How To Behave At A Job Interview
PeopleImages | ShutterstockEveryone’s familiar with the basics of job interview etiquette, but different age groups have different standards and want different things out of their careers that affect how they act in an interview.
The generation someone belongs to plays a big role in shaping their work ethic. It makes sense, then, that different age groups don’t agree on the best way to behave when they’re trying to land a new position.
Each generation has become more relaxed about professionalism in job interviews:
Older generations created the traditional stereotype of showing up at a job interview in their best clothes while projecting confidence they could translate into success. Now, young people are shaking things up so much that some employers are questioning if they’re actually ready for the workplace.
Boomers bring a combination of seriousness and genuineness to job interviews.
Baby boomers are well-known for their extremely strong work ethic that comes close to workaholism at times. This explains why they do everything they can to make a good first impression in a job interview. They take work seriously, and job interviews are no different.
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When boomers joined the workforce, the job market wasn’t very hard to navigate. Interviews were much more straightforward than they are now, and employers tended to rely on resumes more than candidates’ own words.
All of this gave boomers the idea that job interviews are meant to be professional, while also functioning as honest conversations. They don’t have some kind of interview strategy or embellish their accomplishments, which sometimes puts them at odds with younger generations.
Gen X is used to acting similarly straightforward in job interviews, although times are changing.
Gen X is a very independent generation, both in their personal and professional lives. They care about getting the job done well without letting it become a defining part of their lives. This mix of motivation and balance is easy to see when they interview for a job.
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This age group faced rocky conditions when they were starting their careers, and things haven’t gotten much better over the years. Current Gen X job seekers have had to adapt to a different job market that’s much less considerate than what they’re used to and pretty much requires candidates to brag about their track record.
Gen X’s instinct is to be pretty direct in job interviews. They know what they bring to the table, and they expect employers to see that as well. Just like boomers, they don’t play games. Many have had to change their approach to land new roles, though.
Millennials are the first generation to act differently from conventional job-interview behavior.
So far, millennials have faced a lot of judgment at work. Older generations don’t think they’re hard workers, which puts them at a disadvantage in job interviews. They feel misunderstood from the minute they walk through the door, so they have to try harder to prove people wrong.
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Millennials have leaned on their parents for help with the job search and interviews more than previous generations, which shows they aren’t quite as independent. Very few went so far as to have a parent get involved in the actual interview, though.
This generation doesn’t bring the same level of classic professionalism to interviews as boomers and Gen X. They’re a bit more relaxed, and they don’t mind coming up with some kind of strategy instead of just expecting their merits alone to get them a job. Since they’re redefining the workforce, it makes sense that they’re redefining job interviews, too.
Gen Z worries more about feeling comfortable in job interviews than acting professionally.
When it comes to job interviews, Gen Z seems to be a different breed. They’ve been accused of having a super weak work ethic for years now, so it’s not really surprising that employers have some questions about their behavior at job interviews as well.
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A majority of Gen Z have brought a parent to a job interview before, and many of them also had their parents step in to handle something like HR communications or salary negotiations. They’re showing a clear lack of independence that has employers concerned.
Gen Z brings a much more laid-back attitude to interviews as well. They recently sparked a debate for bringing their own iced coffees to interviews. They think of professionalism completely differently from previous generations and strive for so much work-life balance that they might have gone too far in the wrong direction.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
