Don't Take Your Mom To Job Interviews

I know I've said this before, but obviously this needs to be said again: don't take your Mom to job interviews! In case you are sitting there, reading this mortified in disbelief, let me assure you this is really happening in offices all across America. People are taking their mothers to job interviews.

If you are a teenager reading this, please let me clarify my statement. If you are 13 years old and going for your first babysitting job, it is OK for your mother to accompany you to your "interview." If you are 16 years old and Mom insists on driving you to your McDonald's job interview, I can let that slide, too. However, if you are a 24 year old college graduate going for an office interview, it is just not acceptable to take your mother to your job interview... unless of course, your mother runs the company. That is a whole other can of worms we are not opening today.

If you are an adult and capable of working, your mother should not attend your job interview. It is as plain and simple as that. Some people will tell you it is OK for your mother to come along on a job interview for retail. I tend to disagree with this opinion.

I worked as a manager at a store once and I've also worked at numerous retail jobs. Some managers can look past Moms and daughters coming in to turn in job applications together. In most cases, if the manager can find an applicant whose mother does not come in the store, the manager will give the position to that person.

Let's face it, if your mother has to take you places and insists on coming in for job interviews, it makes it seem as if you are not reliable and independent. Even if you are independent, it doesn't come off that way, so no matter what Mom says, don't let her come with you for retail job interviews either. This is especially the case if you are 18 or older. A manager wants to feel comfortable that you can work the cash register without calling your mother for advice.

I realize in these tough economic times, not all of us have cars. Perhaps you need to rely on your Mom to drive you to work for a while before you can afford to buy your own car. Trust me, plenty of us have been there and done that. However, your mother needs to stay in the car or go run some errands until the interview is over.

I am not kidding you when I say I've heard from numerous HR workers that adults with college degrees are showing up in suits and ties... and their Mom for job interviews. How can this be? Even if Mom agrees to sit out in the lobby, you've already given the appearance that you can't think on your own. Do you want to know what happens when Mommy Dearest comes along on the job interview? You don't get the job at all.

I've heard stories of mothers asking more questions at the end of the interview process than their adult child actually did during the interview. I've also heard stories about mothers inspecting their child's future possible work area to make sure it is up to par. Don't be that guy! You are not going to get the job and everyone feels sorry for you because your Mom is nuts.

Equally as disturbing as taking your mother to job interviews is the mother that makes professional calls for you. I've personally experienced this one at work quite a bit. I constantly receive calls from mothers asking if we are seeking interns or college grads for positions. The answer is usually "no," but even if the answer were "yes," I need to hear from the applicant, not Mom.

Once I get a call from the mother and not the actual applicant, I assume one of two things: A) the applicant doesn't really want to work at all, but the mother is forcing this person to apply, or B) the applicant is not capable of making his or her own phone calls. Either way, it is clearly going to be a "no way" on our part.

Managers want to hire a person that geniunely wants to work. Even if you don't want to work, and hey, I am with you there, but you have to at least make it seem like you want the job. Also, managers want to hire a person that can think for his or herself. If your mother has to make important calls for you, it pretty much states otherwise.

I know you must be thinking, "What is up with this?" How can I just keep bad mouthing overprotective mothers? To be honest, I have never once had a Dad call to find out about a job for his son or daughter. I've never heard of a Dad coming with his child to a job interview. Perhaps fathers do this sometimes, but from the numerous stories I've heard, this is strictly a Mom thing. If I am wrong, please feel free to leave a comment.

For now, I think I've warned the world enough about Moms and how they can make a interview not so great. Just remember Moms of the world, if your adult child asks you to go on a job interview, just say no. And remember all you applicants out there, if your mother is really overprotective, you might need to conveniently forget the date of your job interview and sneak to it. Trust me, you will thank me for this advice later.

Copyright ©2012 Jeannieinabottle