Identification of the targeted performance dimensions and self-promotion in interviews: investigations of uncharted waters

ABSTRACT

Previous research on interviewees’ ability to identify criteria (ATIC) found that interview performance is positively related to the degree to which interviewees identify the targeted performance criteria in a selection interview. Similarly, the use of self-promotion as an impression management tactic is also positively related to interview performance. The present study extended this research and used multilevel analyses to investigate whether intraindividual variation concerning identification of the performance criteria and the use of self-promotion is related to within-person performance fluctuations across interview questions. Furthermore, we also tested whether correct identification of the performance dimensions moderates the effects of self-promotion behaviour on interview performance. In a simulated selection interview, we found that ATIC and self-promotion were indeed positively related to interview performance on the between-person level (i.e., for the entire interview). However, no moderator effect was found. Furthermore, on the within-person level interviewees’ performance was better concerning questions for which they were better at identifying the performance criteria but worse concerning questions for which they used more self-promotion. Thus, identification of the targeted dimensions and self-promotion have diverging effects on the level of specific interview questions. Finally, we discuss implications for research and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Selection interviews
• self-presentation
• impression management
• ATIC
• social effectiveness
• personnel selection

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Miriam Daucher and Mattis Geiger for their help during the preparation of the study and the data collection, Lisa Leusch and Katharina Wieser for their help with the interviews, and Evelyn Schuwerk, Sina Bulling, and Kim Bentlage for their help with the coding of interviewees’ answers from the post-interview questionnaires.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.