Are narcissistic hiring managers more susceptible to candidate flattery? A within-subjects experimental simulation

Abstract

Despite decades of research on job candidate ingratiation tactics, few studies have examined if hiring manager personality traits might influence the effectiveness of candidate tactics. Undergraduates (n = 254) played the role of a hiring manager in a low-fidelity simulation and completed a measure of non-clinical narcissism. Candidate flattery and qualifications were experimentally manipulated. Contrary to predictions, results showed that candidate flattery demonstrated strong negative effects on perceptions of candidate fit and the likelihood of being invited for an interview during preliminary recruitment stages. Although hiring manager narcissism was found to attenuate the negative effects of candidate flattery, these findings broadly suggest that jobseekers have more to lose than gain by flattering hiring managers.