Hispanic Americans More Likely Than White Americans to Feel the Need to Change Physical Appearance for Job Interviews
When interviewing for a new job, Americans overwhelmingly prefer an in-person meeting to a virtual format, according to the latest American Staffing Association Workforce Monitor® online survey conducted by The Harris Poll.
In total, 70% of all Americans prefer in-person job interviews, compared with 17% who favor video calls and only 9% who prefer audio-only calls.
Additionally, Hispanic Americans (74%) are significantly more likely than their white counterparts (65%) to feel the need to modify their appearance before taking part in job interviews.
Among the survey’s findings:
- 33% of Black Americans reported feeling the need to shave their facial hair before an interview, compared with 25% of Hispanic Americans and 22% of white Americans
- 19% of Hispanic Americans and 17% of Black Americans felt the need to cover their tattoos, compared with 10% of white Americans
- 18% of Hispanic Americans and 14% of Black Americans felt compelled to take out their body piercings, compared with 9% of white Americans
- Men (39%) are more likely to feel the need to get a haircut or change their hairstyle for an interview than women (23%)
The study also revealed different approaches for men and women when preparing for an interview. Women believe many interview prep strategies are more important than men do, including researching the company (73% vs 66%), selecting an interview outfit (72% vs 60%), and preparing questions to ask during the interview (66% vs 56%). This difference continues beyond the interviewing stage, with 70% of men saying they would be perfectly comfortable asking a supervisor for a raise, compared with 58% of women.
“Job seekers may prefer to have the option to work remotely, but they still want to make their first impressions in person. Unfortunately, far too many (67%) feel the need to modify their normal appearance in some way prior to a job interview,” said Richard Wahlquist, president and chief executive officer at the American Staffing Association. “To attract the best talent and create more inclusive workplaces, employers need to send a clear message to candidates that they are hiring based on skills and not physical appearance or dress codes from another era.”
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of ASA from Oct. 27–31, 2022, among a total of 2,019 U.S. adults age 18 and older, of whom 1,140 were employed. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval of +/-2.8%. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Megan Sweeney at 703-253-1151.
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About the American Staffing Association (ASA)
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.
About the ASA Workforce Monitor
The ASA Workforce Monitor is a periodic survey commissioned by ASA and conducted online by The Harris Poll among 2,000 or more U.S. adults age 18 and older. The survey series focuses on current workforce trends and issues. For more information about the survey series, visit americanstaffing.net/workforcemonitor.
About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963. It is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times. They work with clients in three primary areas: building 21st century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. Their mission is to provide insights and advisory to help leaders make the best decisions possible. Learn more by visiting www.harrispoll.com and follow Harris Poll on Twitter and LinkedIn.
