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U.S.
Employer Expectations
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Possible
Conflicting Values of Other Cultures
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1. Self-Promotion
- Assertiveness
and enthusiasm about self, company
and work in general; sense of “can
do” in candidates.
- Confidence
in openly discussing goals and accomplishments.
- Follow-up
with employers (e.g., telephone
inquiries about status of application,
thank you notes, etc.).
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- Unless
presented as a part of a group activity,
citing accomplishments and skills
may be viewed as boastful, self-serving
and too individualistic.
- Asking
an employer directly about the status
of a candidate’s application
often is considered to be rude.
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2. Directness
in Communication
- Open
and direct style with responses
to interview questions that put
oneself in the best possible light
while still being honest.
- Eye
contact with interviewer, relaxed
posture, and other appropriate non-
verbal behavior.
- Discussion
of salary and benefits only when
initiated by interviewer or at time
of job offer.
- Candidate
asks questions about the job at
the end of the interview.
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- Eye
contact, especially with person
of higher status (e.g., employer,
interviewer), can be seen as disrespectful.
- Appearance
of criticism must be avoided to
save face.
- Asking
open-ended questions about the job
may be seen as rude and inappropriately
direct.
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3. Self-Disclosure
- Personal
description of experiences, hobbies,
strengths, and weaknesses related
to the position for which the candidate
is being interviewed.
- Answers
to questions related to personality
(e.g., leadership style, problem-solving
abilities).
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Personal questions such as likes/dislike
may be considered an invasion of
privacy and discussed only with
friends and family.
- Or,
these kinds of questions sometimes
are seen as totally irrelevant to
a candidate’s job qualifications.
- Revealing
outside interests may be considered
a threat to the time, energy, and
other resources invested by a candidate
into the job.
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4. Career Self-Awareness
- Demonstration
of knowledge of self, career goals,
and their relationship to the job.
- Disclosure
and discussion of long-term career
plans.
- Ability
to be self-directed in one’s
career development.
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- In
some cultures, jobs are assigned
by government or family or are determined
by school or test score.
- Questions
about role in company may indicate
potential disloyalty.
- Company
often assigns work responsibilities.
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Individuals sometimes are expected
to be flexible to accept whatever
job becomes available without regard
for their own career goals.
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5. Individual
Responsibility in
Finding Employment
- Use
of a wide variety of resources to
identify jobs (e.g., friends, family,
contacts, professional journals
and associations, career services,
academic mentors, etc.)
- Networking
by candidates; personal referrals
can carry great weight in evaluating
a candidate’s potential.
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- Jobs
in some cultures are found for the
individual by government, school,
or family.
- Dependency
relationships in job search process
may be fostered. One resource (e.g.,
academic advisor, employment agency)
may be expected to find the individual
a job with little proactive action
on the part of the individual.
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6. Informality
in the Interview
- Congenial
interviewing environment that encourages
openness, some joking, and exchange
of information.
- Candidates
are expected to relax.
- Heavy
use of “Sir” and “Madam”
seen as stiff and as a sign of lack
of confidence on part of the candidate.
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- In
some cultures, sitting with a person
of higher status requires deference.
The job applicant is very polite
and does not ask questions or provide
information that may indicate a
lack of respect for the interviewer’s
position.
- Handshaking,
use of first name, crossed legs,
etc., may be seen as inappropriate.
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7. Punctuality
- Candidate
is expected to arrive 5 to 10 minutes
before the interview time.
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- Time
may not have the same importance
as in the U.S.
- Appointment
times may be seen as flexible.
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8. Effective
Letters of
Applications
and Resumes
- One
page resumes, especially for new
college graduates with little work
experience, which are error-free,
concise, and attractive.
- Resumes
list information about the candidate’s
skills, job experiences, accomplishments,
and academic credentials that are
relevant to the position being sought.
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- Resumes
are often a detailed chronology
of academic and formal work experiences
and are not a tool of self-promotion.
- Resumes
may contain personal information
(e.g., birth date, family information,
health status, marital status, etc.)
and other information not directly
related to the hiring qualifications
for the job.
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9. Individual
Equality
- Race,
sex, and age are legally not supposed
to affect the interview relationship.
- Politeness
and respect shown to all employees
a candidate meets, whether receptionist
or CEO.
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- Males
and older persons may expect to
assume dominance in interactions
with females and younger persons
in some cultures.
- Level
in organizational hierarchy may
determine the amount of respect
an individual is given.
- Attitudes
on gender, race, and other individual
characteristics vary from culture
to culture, as do the legality and
acceptability of basing hiring decisions
on such characteristics.
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10. Knowledge
of Organization
Prior to
Interview
- Acquisition
of as much information as possible
about job and organization before
interview.
- Demonstration
of awareness of organization in
letter of application and during
interview.
- Answers
to interview questions that relate
to organization.
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- Research
about organization may indicate
excessive and undesirable initiative
or independence.
- Preparation
before the interview to acquire
information about the organization
may be considered irrelevant and
a waste of time.
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