What do they really want? Effects of the wording of job advertisements on narcissists’ perceptions of organizational attraction

Abstract

Wording of job advertisements is assumed to impact job seekers’ perceptions of organizational attraction, yet little is known about the role narcissism plays in this context. To begin to fill this gap, we investigated how narcissists who self-enhance in communal domains (e.g., friendliness, helpfulness, and trustworthiness) respond to systematic wording differences in job advertisements. In an experimental study (N = 318), wording was manipulated using an agentically versus communally worded job advertisement. Results revealed that communal narcissism was positively related to company attractiveness and intentions to apply for a job and this relationship was stronger when agency (but not communion) was made salient. A practical implication is that organizations may influence the number of communal narcissists applying for particular jobs by modifying the wording of job advertisements.