By Adebukola Akingbade

I recently came across an interesting HR survey that delved into interviews with college graduates. The data collected revealed some fascinating insights on struggles with eye contact, requests for unreasonable compensation, inappropriate dressing, use of inappropriate language, and even instances where candidates brought a parent to the interview.

These findings really got me thinking about our perception of what is right. Are these truly candidate flaws, or could they be influenced by cultural positions, employee experiences, or backgrounds? For example, what constitutes appropriate dressing? Should a technician be expected to wear a suit to an interview? Is it a preference or an expectation? What is unreasonable compensation expectation? Could these perceived shortcomings be circumstantial, or are they indicative of a more general expectation or bias in our people processes?

Here are my thoughts on these data set whether these shortcomings are reflections of deeper cultural and experiential factors, or if they point to potential biases that we need to be aware of and address in our Talent Acquisition as one of our HR processes.

Understanding Principles, Rules and Expectation

Principles, rules, and expectations are interconnected. Principles are fundamental truths or propositions that serve as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior. They are often universal and timeless with the overarching baseline that shapes our understanding of right and wrong in a process as well as provide the rationale behind rules. Rules, on the other hand operationalize principles in specific contexts. They are specific prescriptions or directives that must be followed which dictates what is allowed or prohibited. While Expectations are the anticipated behaviors that arise from these principles and rules.

For example, the principle of Professionalism underlies many workplace rules like dress code (wearing suits or business casual clothing for formal engagements and wearing coveralls for factory settings). The expectation is that employees will adhere to these dress codes, demonstrating professionalism in their appearance. While rules are designed to ensure consistency and fairness, the resulting expectations can sometimes unintentionally reinforce biases: Strict adherence to rules without considering individual circumstances can perpetuate biases. Expectations can be influenced by stereotypes, leading to biased assumptions about individuals based on different characteristics. For example, expecting college graduate to understand an organisation compensation philosophy can reinforce generational stereotypes. It can lead to confirmation bias, where people notice and remember behaviors that confirm their pre-existing beliefs while ignoring those that contradict them.

Principles, rules, and expectations play a significant role in addressing the issues highlighted in the HR survey data points, such as struggles with eye contact, inappropriate dressing, unreasonable compensation requests, inappropriate language, and bringing a parent to the interview. Let’s explore how principles, rules, and expectations can influence these behaviors and help create a fair and effective Talent Acquisition process.

Eye Contact: The principle of non-discrimination ensures that candidates are not unfairly judged based on their ability to maintain eye contact especially college graduates. Cultural differences can influence eye contact norms, and it’s important to recognize that some candidates may come from backgrounds where direct eye contact is considered disrespectful. The focus on the content of the candidate’s responses rather than non-verbal cues like eye contact can also be beneficial unless the making eye contact is very important selection criteria that will enable the college graduate to function in the role, however a candidate can learn it or be coached.

Inappropriate Dressing: The appropriateness of interview attire can vary significantly depending on the role and industry. The principle of fairness dictates that candidates should be evaluated based on their qualifications and skills rather than their attire. It is essential to communicate clear expectations regarding appropriate dress codes for interviews, while also being mindful of cultural and socioeconomic differences. For a technical role, the expectation is typically for practical and professional attire rather than very formal clothing. Consideration should be given to candidates who may be struggling economically or who encounter unforeseen circumstances, such as their clothing being soiled on the morning of the interview.

Establishing a dress code for interviews can provide candidates with clear guidelines on what is considered appropriate attire. This information should be communicated to candidates prior to the interview to prevent any misunderstandings. Afterall, we communicate dress code to the workforce.

Unreasonable Compensation Requests: What is unreasonable compensation for company A, may be a very reasonable compensation for company B. The principle of transparency ensures that candidates have a clear understanding of the compensation range for the position they are applying for. This helps manage candidates manage their expectations since they are probably not aware of the organisation compensation philosophy and will reduce the likelihood of candidates making unreasonable compensation requests.

Inappropriate Language: The principle of professionalism ensures that candidates understand the importance of using appropriate language during the interview. This reflects their ability to communicate effectively in a professional setting. Setting clear expectations about professional conduct and language use during the interview can help candidates understand what is expected of them. Also, the world is rapidly evolving, new words are becoming professionally acceptable every year and introduced into the English dictionary. The word “Japa” was considered a slang in 2024, but now in 2025, it is a recognised word in the dictionary. Interviewers should also can address inappropriate language in a constructive manner and guide the college graduate during the interview.

Bringing a Parent to the Interview: The principle of independence ensures that candidates are evaluated based on their own merits and abilities. While bringing a parent to the interview may be seen as a lack of independence, it’s important to understand the context and reasons behind this behavior. There has been some instance of fraudulent interview arrangements which can put the candidates at serious security risk. Personal and other people shared experiences, or trauma may be the reason for this.

By and large, when selecting a candidate, interviewers should handle such situations with empathy and understanding, recognizing that college graduates have very little or no experience of interview and may have valid reasons for presenting themselves in a certain way. One effective approach is to ask open-ended questions that can uncover these reasons, such as “Is there a reason why you are not maintaining eye contact?” or “Is there a reason why you came with your parent?”, “Your dressing is different, can you tell us about it?” These observations can serve as ice breakers.

Principles, unlike rules are crucial in addressing the concerns highlighted in the HR survey data points. By implementing principles of fairness, transparency, and non-discrimination, and establishing clear rules, for an interview, organizations can create a more equitable and effective talent acquisition process. It is important to note that personal expectations of interviewers can significantly influence the selection process, often leading to subjective assessments based on individual biases and preferences. This can result in unfair evaluations and potentially overlooking qualified candidates. Training interviewers to recognize and mitigate biases, and standardizing expectations, can further enhance the fairness and consistency of the recruitment process.