When asked about mature workers' biggest interview mistakes, survey respondents named high salary/compensation demands (cited by 51% of hiring managers); overconfidence in their abilities and experience (48%); inflexibility in working style (43%); inflexibility in work schedule (43%); inability to sell themselves during the interview process (35%); and placing too much emphasis on company benefits (34%).
For Millennials, the biggest interview mistakes were wearing inappropriate attire (75%); posting potentially compromising content on social media channels (70%); demonstrating a lack of research preparation on the company or position (62%); showing a lack of interest in the job by not asking questions about the company or position (60%); high salary/compensation demands (57%); and overconfidence in their abilities and experience (57%).
"Today's economy has created a competitive employment landscape that can be difficult to navigate -- no matter what generation you're from," said Joyce Russell, president of Adecco Staffing US, in a statement. "It's important for mature workers to understand what they want out of a job and to seek out opportunities that allow them to combine their skill sets with their personal interests, while keeping in mind what hiring managers want to see during their interview."
Ann Bednarz covers IT careers, outsourcing and Internet culture for Network World. Follow Ann on Twitter at @annbednarz and check out her blog, Occupational Hazards. Her email address is abednarz@nww.com.
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