Swearing in an interview. Automatic no?
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Swearing shows a lack of vocabulary and easily set off emotions. Stay calm and in control.
Lack of vocab? That’s bullshit! It’s not what you say but when and how. It shows passion, when used in proper context.
Fuck me! What happened to you lot!? This is advertising. It’s meant to be FUN. If you’re gonna not hire someone because they use a swear word then y’all are probably in the wrong industry.
No, but people who take swearing super seriously are not fun. Fact.
On my team we don’t hire anyone who won’t swear in an interview. Sometimes we goad them into it.
The easy ones, they break fast and curse up a storm. Then we know we have a viable candidate.
If I was being interviewed by anyone who used the hackneyed term “WE ROCK”, I believe that would be my cue to wrap it up and exit ASAP
Chief
Wongdoody's motto is "Fuck Yeah!" 👀
It's advertising. But I'd say let the interviewer say a dirty word first before getting too comfortable.
I didn’t know you can get through an interview without swearing.
Unless it’s a string of f-bombs, I’m not sure I’d even notice.
You'd like the cut of their jib?
No. Use your words. You have the best words.
I’ll take Swords for $500, Alex.
My personality is pretty sweary. So I will swear in interviews. Not over the top or anything but a word or three will slip out when I get excited talking about an idea or whatever. Helps that I have an accent too maybe? I think if a prospective employer had a problem with that then I wouldn't want to work for them. So weeds out any bad matches both ways I think. Good fucking luck!
As a person who curses like a sailor, I’ve never cursed on an interview and do judge someone who does. There’s a time and place for it and that’s not it.
ACD1 it sounds like D3 is jelly. People who are nervous about offending people, or worse, get very easily offended, are rarely that honest, funny or interesting and can poison the vibe of an otherwise great team. Smart to be discerning about where you work.
Rising Star
Only if the swear precedes or follows the word "you"
I’ve sworn in pretty much every interview I’ve ever had, including press interviews. It’s just always been a natural part of my character and indeed, my family life. To this day, my dad will answer the phone with the question, “What do you want you little cunt?”
I do not enter an interview petitioning to be hired on the back of how I speak, but rather upon how the words I use in support of a brand succeed in building their business.
You want soliloquies peppered with polysyllabic jargon, that’s no problem, but it will cost you. You want to chat and get to know who I am and how I work, that’s free, but it does invariably come with a ‘Parental Guidance Explicit Lyrics” sticker.
Lolololol 😂😂😂 I swear on purpose to weed out the places that don’t deserve my talent. If I can’t swear on the job, it’s a giant red flag that the agency culture doesn’t encourage freedom of expression.
This is the critical criteria to focus on when interviewing. Just what every agency wants, finally an employee who knows how to prioritize.
You probably have more leeway if you’re a creative.
Chief
I let the CD, GCD or ECD set the tone of the interview. The best interviews are verbal free-for-alls (within reason).
My ECD sounds like Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet most of the time.
Curses nonstop, sucks up a mystery gas through a cannula, and definitely a sociopath.
That was in the interview. It went down hill from there. And I now have been working with him for nearly a decade. I fucking love him.
No. Part of being a creative is self-expression. If that’s genuinely who that person is on top of them being an amazing creative and a good fit for the agency, I could not give a fuck if they swear in the interview.
Rule number one of advertising is to know your target audience. This is no different. At some agencies this will be seen as a positive. At others, they’ll quickly show you the door.
Follow the interviewer’s lead. That said - I walk in prepared to keep it PG. If the interviewer is at an R, I’ll go to PG-13.
Life on the bleeding edge
Best bet is to try not to but don’t stress over it. I usually won’t notice if someone throws in a few but I’ve interviewed a few people over the years who f-bombed away. It’s just not appropriate for an interview- too casual at best and a red flag at worst.
Curse on the set when the actor blows what was a perfect take. You don’t know your interviewer for squat. Cursing gives off attitude, and maybe that attitude is NOT what they are looking for. Wise up.
And when literally meant literally.
I would never swear as an interviewee but I guess it depends on the interviewer and if they are swearing (although they should do it first before you follow suit.) As an interviewer, I would not swear and would not like it if an interviewee did it.
Ive had CDs swear in front of me in an interview but I would never A’s the interviewee. I’ve trained myself to have a certain persona for work and swearing is not part of it. Better to be safe than sorry in my opinion.
Definitely, I usually will start swearing in the office once I feel comfortable around people.