Prepared to fake? The relationship between applicants’ job interview preparation and faking

Abstract

Multiple frameworks and models postulate an effect of job interview preparation on faking. Two studies were conducted to examine if applicants’ interview preparation is correlated with higher faking. Besides analyzing the general extent of preparation, we also distinguished between different preparation categories. In Study 1 (N = 237), a presented preparation video led to higher intentions on image protection but did not increase overall faking intentions. Study 2 (N = 206) focused on past preparation and impression management (IM). The total time spent on preparation was positively correlated with faking. Applicants’ preparation via online videos and professional interview preparation was correlated with higher deceptive and honest IM. Preparation via online videos was additionally correlated with a higher perceived interview difficulty.

Exploring the role of interviewee cognitive capacities on impression management in face‐to‐face and virtual interviews

“…Furthermore, having higher executive functions helps prevent individuals from enacting impulsive behaviors and decisions (Chan et al, 2021; Moutier & Houdé, 2003). Because deceptive IM is considered to be deliberate (Levashina & Campion, 2006) and interviewees can prepare deceptive responses to common interview questions well in advance (Schudlik et al, 2021), executive functions may be less relevant for predicting deceptive IM use. Overall, the limited findings pertaining to executive functions suggest that the role of interviewee cognition for shaping IM use is primarily driven by their general mental capacity, and less so their ability to coordinate and control this mental capacity.…”

“…In terms of honest IM, organizations may also wish to design interviews so that a greater number of interviewees feel comfortable using honest IM, to even out opportunities for applicants to succeed and thereby improve the fairness of interviews. For instance, given the past demonstrated effectiveness of preparation (Schudlik et al, 2021), an organization may provide applicants tips on how to honestly and appropriately convey themselves, and encourage their use to interviewees in the form of preparation materials before the interview. In the case of AVIs, organizations may provide practice interview questions to interviewees to make them feel more prepared to use honest IM in their actual interview (Roulin et al, 2023).…”

The development and validation of a multi-dimensional Job Interview Self-efficacy scale

“…Also, we focus on some aspects of the pre-interview stages, with IP SE and LO SE. These two components of the MJISE construct remark that a comprehensive ISE construct should also cover SE beliefs about preparatory behaviours that job interview research has found decisive for positive outcomes (Schudlik et al, 2021).…”

“…Van Hooft et al (2013) argued that interviewees could prepare through thinking about questions and rehearsing compelling answers. Schudlik et al (2021) presented five categories of interview preparation, encompassing the search for information and advice (information research, reading guides and watching online videos) and practice (rehearsing and simulating interviews). Information seeking SE has been shown to predict effective job and occupational information-seeking behaviours (Fetherston et al, 2018;Pesch et al, 2018).…”

Students Perception About the Role of Interview During M.PHIL and PH.D. Admission at a Public Sector University of Lahore, Punjab-Pakistan

“…However, it has been still maintained its significance in its usage. In every walk of life, especially in an educational institution, the interviews have been a long history in the selection process for suitable applicants, especially in the research-oriented (Schudlik et al, 2021). Queries of interviews on its values, ethics, and morals in selecting applicants have been lifted (Weston et al, 2021).…”