Can good impression and feedback-seeking behavior help Chinese graduates get a job? A mixed-methods study on a recruiting assessment center
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of feedback seeking (FBS) and impression management (IM) on candidates’ evaluative performance and final hiring decision in a recruiting assessment center (AC) by a multinational corporation (MNC) in China.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted a mixed-methods design. The authors first surveyed 234 candidates and 12 recruiting managers as assessors in four Chinese cities in one year. The authors then collected 23 candidates’ qualitative data in the forms of online blogs, diaries or letters sharing their recruitment experiences from 2005 to 2014.
Findings
The quantitative results showed that both candidates’ FBS and IM behaviors were positively related to their evaluative performance, yet with no significant effects on hiring decision. However, the interaction of FBS and IM significantly reduced the likelihood of a positive evaluative performance and hiring decision. Qualitative findings showed that IM was adopted by the candidates, and encouraged by the firm in the initial period of AC. Implicit FBS behavior was also found in the qualitative data.
Practical implications
The results offer important practical implications. For applicants, success in job search depends on one’s overall ability and capacity, while proper FBS and initial IM may be helpful to get in the race. At the firm level, MNCs need to adopt innovative strategies to win the “war for talent” in campus recruiting to cope with the deficiency in the educational focus.
Originality/value
The authors adopted a mixed-methods approach to examining the dynamics of AC process in campus recruiting processes. This study is among the first examining the interactions of FBS and IM in the selection research.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
In memory of Yunyun Chen’s contribution, who passed away due to a natural disaster during the research process. The authors wish to appreciate two anonymous reviewers for their constructive and helpful comments on an earlier version of this article. The authors are also grateful to the editor’s input and feedback during the revision process.
Citation
Ren, R., Sun, J.Y., Zhang, Y., Chen, Y. and Liu, C. (2015), "Can good impression and feedback-seeking behavior help Chinese graduates get a job? A mixed-methods study on a recruiting assessment center", Journal of Chinese Human Resource Management, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 14-32. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHRM-03-2015-0003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited