The Effects of Applicant Impression Management Tactics on Interviewer Judgments

Applicants in employment interviews use a variety of impression management techniques such as emphasizing positive traits, conforming to the opinions of the interviewer, and claiming responsibility for positive events. A field experiment was conducted on 62 employment interviewers who viewed videotaped interview segments in which either high or low levels of impression management techniques were depicted. Applicant credentials were also manipulated. Results indicated that interviewers were influenced by impression management techniques regardless of applicant credentials. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to theory, research and practice of the employment interview.