A new iHire survey has explored the extent of controversial job search and workplace behaviours, including ghosting, stretching the truth in interviews and on resumes, quitting a job without notice, and more. The employment platform polled a Qualtrics market research panel comprising 1,645 US workers across various industries and discovered:
- 6 per centof workers have quit a job without giving their employer notice
- 5 per centhave quit a new job within the first two weeks
- 2 per centhave stretched the truth in a job interview
- 0 per centhave participated in a Zoom call/video conference in unprofessional attire, such as their underwear or pyjamas
- 9 per centhave ghosted an employer/didn’t show up for a job interview
- 4 per centhave secretly held a second job/held another job without either employer knowing
- 9 per centhave lied on their resume
Additionally, iHire broke down the survey results by respondents’ generations, unveiling the following insights:
- 2 per cent of millennialsadmitted to participating in a video call in unprofessional attire – more than baby boomers (4.9 per cent), Gen Xers (11.0 per cent), and Gen Zers (16.7 per cent).
- 8 per cent of Gen Zers have stretched the truth in a job interview, compared to 12.9 per cent of baby boomers, 15.6 per cent of Gen Xers, and 15.5 per cent of millennials.
- Just 2.7 per cent of baby boomers admit to lying on their resumes, significantly lower than the 10.0 per cent of Gen Xers, 12.1 per cent of millennials, and 10.9 per cent of Gen Zers who have done so.
- MoreGen Xers (27.4 per cent) and millennials (27.4 per cent) have quit jobs without giving their employer notice than their baby boomer (12.2 per cent) and Gen Z (19.2 per cent) counterparts.
- 3 per cent of Gen Z employees have ghosted an employerby not showing up for an interview, and 12.5 per cent of Gen Xers and 12.6 per cent of millennials admitted to the same. However, just 3.4 per cent of baby boomers have ghosted an employer for an interview.
“Candidates must understand that their behaviours during their job search or at work affect their reputation and personal brand,” said Lori Cole, Certified Career Coach and Advisor at iHire. “For example, ghosting an employer or quitting a job without notice can burn bridges, and lying on your resume can come back to bite you. Moreover, secretly holding a second job can negatively impact your performance and, in some cases, violate company policies and damage trust. While we all have our favourite pair of pyjamas, iHire encourages job seekers to get dressed and focus on professionalism, integrity, and relationship-building to create long-term career success.”
A deeper dive into iHire’s survey findings can be found at the company’s Resource Center.
