To Fake or not to Fake: An Investigation of Individual Differences, Impression Management and Interview Performance

Purpose: This research investigates the dynamic nature of IM tactics in job interviews with a focus on the Pakistani culture. Though, candidates use different IM types of tactics meaningfully to create specific impressions and the individual differences and outcomes associated with these combinations. This study seeks to understand honesty-humility, extraversion self-esteem, and self-monitoring influence the use of honest and deceptive IM tactics and their subsequent impact on interview performance. Design/Methodology/Approach: Questionnaires were given to 209 business students as part of mock interviews that involved 10 professional interviewers. The study employed self-report measures on personality traits, IM tactics, and interview performance, and data analysis was done through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings: The present research offers empirical support for the hypothesis that honesty-humility, extraversion self-esteem and self-monitoring significantly predict the use and effectiveness of IM tactics in improving interview performance. Honest IM tactics, which improve perceived job and organizational fit, lead to better performance outcomes, while deceptive IM tactics do not. Implications/Originality/Value: The findings advocate for incorporating personality assessments into the hiring process to better understand candidates' predispositions towards certain IM tactics. This helps in selecting individuals who align well with organizational values and job requirements.