Abstract
This study investigated the impression management techniques (IMTs) used by fresh graduates in job interviews. Job interview data from twenty-five candidates were analysed qualitatively. The focus of analysis was on five aspects of impression management tactics namely self-focus, self-presentation, exemplifications, entitlements, and enhancements. It was found that all twenty candidates were in the poor (n = 19; 60%), fair (n = 9; 36%), and average (n = 6; 4%) categories, with none in the good or excellent category. This study can benefit candidates by demonstrating that educational qualifications are not the only important criterion for success in a job interview.
Highlights
Job interviews are professional communications between a potential employer and job applicants to determine their suitability for a particular job
The most significant skill that affects the evaluation procedure of an interview is the impression skills, as they determine the views of the interviewers towards the candidate (Lopez & Fletcher, 2004; Cheung et al (2017) In the hiring process, the impression management techniques (IMT) of candidates can result in favourable evaluations by interviewers and positively influence the hiring decisions (Kacmar & Delery 1992), not everyone uses high-level IMT (Jacobs, 2003; Turnley, 2001; Sanhez & Gou, 2005)
Implication The findings show that IMTs are one of the essential components in job interviews and there is a high demand for fresh graduates who have strong IMTs in workplaces
Summary
Job interviews are professional communications between a potential employer and job applicants to determine their suitability for a particular job. Certain skills are required to conduct a proper communication in job interviews, (Holmes, 1995). The Malaysian National Graduate Employability Blueprint 2012-2017 highlighted that most fresh graduates have difficulty creating favourable impressions in job interviews (Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia [MHEM], 2019). Baqutayan et al (2019) and Ahmed et al (2019) found that fresh graduates lacked skills in presenting their positive qualities (e.g., achievements, capabilities, responsibilities) and struggled to demonstrate their confidence to the interviewer. As MHEM (2019) noted, appropriate training in IMT for job seekers who attend interviews, are of paramount important in obtaining jobs. This study examined the extent to which IMT are depicted by fresh graduates during their job interviews
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