"Cursing in an Interview is Not OK" - 07/31/19 Edition
Stephen Says Column




Dear Stephen:

I have been well into the hiring mode for two outside sales positions we have open here at my company. I am VP of sales at a high-end residential manufacturer that also has a contract division. In my position, I am responsible for overseeing the hiring process for all inside and outside salespeople with the involvement of our CEO. We have an HR department, but they are more focused on benefits and logistics. After I complete initial interviews of sales candidates, our CEO always wants to see two or three finalists who he then evaluates using his own personal criteria. We are generally looking for the same things in an employee, but I think our CEO,

more than anything, is looking for the candidate to be enthusiastic about the brand and somebody who can fit well into our luxury client base. After all, every owner thinks their company is the best.

We do use a combination of sources to identify new candidates. We have a recruiting firm we contract with along with some candidates who find us via our online advertisements. Thankfully, we also have pretty good word of mouth about our company.

Here is my question: Just recently, we have had to reject several candidates due to them cursing as part

of conversational dialogue during their interviews. I can't imagine why anyone would casually drop the F-bomb in a job interview, but now it has happened for a third time with me. I will not even present these candidates to our CEO. On paper they look perfect, and their interviews were phenomenal until the cuss words came out. They were all different circumstances, too. Sometimes the words were directed at a customer, others about their sales figures, and a few have just sort of casually said it about something mild and general. Maybe the times are changing but we have a very specific company culture, and it is one which does not encour age or accept obscenities in the workplace. Is this kind of language in an interview common practice now? It is one thing if they messed something up, and the word just comes out in a real life moment of frustration, but to just casually say the word in a job interview? What is your feeling? Am I overthinking this? Is it OK to curse during the interview?

Gosh-Darn-it!
 


More and more companies are trying to prevent any type of words or actions that would make a fellow employee feel threatened or uncomfortable.


Dear Gosh:

The rule of thumb is that it is unacceptable for someone interviewing for a job to drop the F-bomb or any curse word during an interview. It is really that simple, and you were correct.

The purpose of an interview is for the company you are interviewing with to learn about your work experience and how it applies to the job at hand. Just as important, employers want to see if you are a cultural fit. They want to know what the chemistry is like, how will you interact with the other employees there and especially how you will come across to customers you will meet in the field and on the showroom floor. If your company has a code of ethics banning obscenities in the workplace, then that is your rule from day one. Your company has a right and responsibility to decide how best to represent its brand in the public sphere. If there is no code of ethics it can just be perceived as classless.

More and more companies are trying to prevent any type of words or actions that would make a fellow employee feel threatened or uncomfortable. Some might say PC culture has gone too far, but I think we would agree cursing in the workplace makes some people very uncomfortable. It's a not a PC thing, it is common sense. It is simply a matter of being kind and courteous to your colleagues. If a candidate cannot accept this fact about a company and culture, they simply have no business working for that company, and you are right to pass on them.

It is almost hard for me to imagine a circumstance where one is on an interview and feels the urge to curse. An interview is a place where one is meant to put their best foot forward and represent themselves in the most positive light possible. Even if the culture of the company permits cussing, doing so during an interview is unnecessary and foolish. To bring in a distraction and potential subtraction like a curse word is frankly idiotic. It will undoubtedly take away from the interviewer's ability to know the candidate as a person.

Readers: Don't be defined by a curse!

I hope this helps.

Best

Stephen
 

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Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group,
global executive recruiters located in New York.
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