Many employers may be pushing applicants away by offering minimal annual leave, according to a new study published by StandOut CV. Researchers surveyed 1,092 people in October 2024 and found that 65.5 per cent of respondents were turned off by postings that provided only the minimum amount of paid time off.
The survey also found that more than half of job seekers disliked being required or encouraged to engage with a company’s social media. Lack of salary details put off 63.8 per cent of participants, while more than six in 10 said they were concerned when the “About us” page or company board lacked diversity.
In-person interviews were another area of frustration for candidates. Having an interviewer with an unpleasant odour was the biggest deterrent, at 76.8 per cent, followed by group interviews at 70.2 per cent. Being called the wrong name ranked third on the list, at 68.1 per cent.
| Rank | Application Red Flags | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job offers the minimum amount of annual leave allowance | 65.5% |
| 2 | Required or heavily encouraged applicants to like other employees’ social media content (i.e. on Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) | 64.6% |
| 3 | No salary information available | 63.8% |
| 4 | About us’ page or company’s board lacks diversity | 62.7% |
| 5 | If a job advert or interviewer said “we’re like a family” | 62.5% |
| 6 | Cash-in-hand pay | 62.4% |
| 7 | Pay isn’t monthly | 61.7% |
| 8 | Received an email from them out of hours | 57.7% |
Virtual interviews also revealed potential pitfalls. Half of respondents said they were irritated if the interviewer spoke to someone else off-camera. Nearly as many took issue with the interviewer keeping the camera switched off, while 43.3 per cent were put off by family members appearing in the background.
The study suggested that three rounds of interviews was the limit for many applicants, with 30.2 per cent saying they would withdraw their application at that point. Another 23 per cent said four rounds would prompt them to exit the process.
Researchers said they conducted the survey to see what most deters job seekers when reviewing job postings or meeting with prospective employers. Participants ranged in age from 18 to over 70, and slightly more than half identified as female.
See the original blog post here: https://standout-cv.com/blog/job-hunting-icks-study
