When interviewing for a position with a member of a company's HR services, it may not be a bad idea to come prepared with a joke or two.
According to a recent survey from Accountemps, 79 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) said an employee's sense of humor is important for "fitting into the company's corporate culture."
Researchers polled 1,400 CFOs for the report and found that 57 percent thought a worker's sense of humor was "somewhat important" to fitting in. Another 22 percent considered it to be "very important" while just 20 percent felt it to be not important at all.
"Sometimes, a little levity goes a long way toward building rapport among colleagues and diffusing workplace tension," said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "All work and no play can erode employee morale."
He added that job candidates shouldn't deploy a "comedy standup routine," but may want to find ways to let their personalities shine.
"Executives tend to pick candidates who they get along with," added Ryan Sutton, Accountemps senior regional vice president, as quoted by eFinancialCareers.com. He pointed out that interviewers are often looking for people they feel will help – not hinder – team culture during stressful periods.