Personality, interview performance, and the mediating role of impression management

摘要

The present study investigated the association between personality and job interview performance, as mediated by applicant use of impression management (IM) behaviours. We focused primarily on the novel role of Honesty-Humility, with a secondary focus on Extraversion and an exploratory examination of other HEXACO personality traits. The sample consisted of 212 management students participating in high fidelity mock interviews with 70 experienced interviewers. Findings indicated that, across both self- and peer reports of personality, (low) Honesty-Humility, (high) Extraversion, and (low) Emotionality predict IM use. In addition, mediation analyses indicated that individuals high in Extraversion and low on Emotionality may perform better in the interview through their use of IM. On the other hand, while Honesty-Humility indirectly impacted interview performance through several paths, the overall effect was null, such that individuals low in Honesty-Humility did not perform better in the interview. This is because they used both forms of IM that led to success, and those that detracted from success, thereby cancelling each other out. This study informs our knowledge of personality and interview performance, such that differences in the IM behaviours an individual chooses have implications for whether individuals with certain traits are successful. Practitioner points