A theoretical model of cross‐cultural impression management in employment interviews. (21st September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arseneault, Rene; Roulin, Nicolas
• Is Part Of: International journal of selection and assessment. Volume 29:Number 3/4(2021)
• Page Start: 352
• Page End: 366
• Publication Date: 2021-09-21
• Subjects: culture -- employment interview -- GLOBE framework -- impression management; Employee selection -- Periodicals; Personality and occupation -- Periodicals; Employment interviewing -- Periodicals; Prediction of occupational success -- Periodicals; Employees -- Rating of -- Periodicals; 658.3112
• DOI: 10.1111/ijsa.12348
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-075X

Abstract

Abstract: With organizations being increasingly multinational and multicultural, there is a need for understanding the implications of having job applicants and interviewers from various cultural backgrounds interacting in an employment interview. We propose a theoretical model for understanding how cultural values translate into preferences for, and use of, impression management (IM) tactics in employment interviews. Building upon previous cross‐cultural IM models and relying on GLOBE cultural framework, we suggest that various cultural dimensions are associated with subsequent differences in applicants' use of both honest and deceptive forms of self‐focused, other‐focused, and defensive IM tactics in interviews. Our model also predicts that cultural distance, and indirectly difference between applicant IM use and interviewers' expectations, will determine how interviewers evaluate applicant interview performance. We highlight the importance of organizations taking responsibility in developing culturally conscientious selection methods to avoid potentially biased hiring decisions. Practioner points: Cultural differences impact our behaviors (applicants) and expectations for those behaviors (interviewers) in interviews. Our model proposes links between cultural dimensions and specific impression management tactics. Cultural distance between Interviewer‐Interviewee impacts how evaluations are attributed to applicants (i.e. similar‐to‐me bias, expectancy theory). Practitioners need to be aware of unintentional systematic cultural biases within their selection process. Culturally diverse interviewer panels are recommended.