Search

Impression management (IM) refers to tactics used by individuals to influence the image others have of them. Such tactics are particularly relevant in situations where making a good impression is crucial, such as job interviews. Extent research has uncovered individual differences associated with IM use, the existence of various types of IM tactics, and the potential impact of IM on interview performance ratings. Yet a number of critical questions remain unanswered. For instance, there have been calls for more research on antecedents of IM use, the differences between authentic and inauthentic (i.e., honest and deceptive) forms of IM, the relative effectiveness of various IM tactics, the cross-cultural implications of IM, or the role played by technology. This symposium includes four papers and a discussant that address these calls and thus advance our understanding of the intricacies of IM, its antecedents, and its outcomes. The present symposium makes three main contributions. First, it uncovers new important but under-researched antecedents of applicant IM use and effectiveness, such as how interviewers describe the job during the interview and the use of technology- mediated interview formats. Second, it emphasizes the important role played by cultural values in the way applicants engage in IM, the way IM is judged by interviewers, and ultimately, how IM impacts interview outcomes. Lastly, this symposium not only confirms existing empirical evidence about the weak relationships between deceptive IM tactics and interview performance, but also provides new insights about potential moderators impacting the effectiveness of applicants' attempts to deceive interviewers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]