Abstract

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – individuals have more opportunities than ever before to present themselves in public using social networking sites (SNSs). However, individuals tend to live segmented lives and often develop different self-presentations depending on the audience. The combination of opportunities to present publicly and presenting different self-presentations can have unforeseen impacts for job candidates. From employers’ perspectives, access to this public information represents a new source of information about job candidates. This paper studies how self-presentations of candidates in SNSs affect impressions formed of candidates by individuals faced with a hiring decision. Utilizing the self-presentation and impression management literature, a model is developed and tested utilizing data from an online survey-based experiment. Findings of the study suggest information from self-presentations is seen as valuable, yet can create ambiguity for decision makers. Implications for theory and hiring organizations assessing the influence of SNSs on hiring are discussed.

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You Saw THAT?: Social Networking Sites, Self-Presentation, and Impression Formation in the Hiring Process

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – individuals have more opportunities than ever before to present themselves in public using social networking sites (SNSs). However, individuals tend to live segmented lives and often develop different self-presentations depending on the audience. The combination of opportunities to present publicly and presenting different self-presentations can have unforeseen impacts for job candidates. From employers’ perspectives, access to this public information represents a new source of information about job candidates. This paper studies how self-presentations of candidates in SNSs affect impressions formed of candidates by individuals faced with a hiring decision. Utilizing the self-presentation and impression management literature, a model is developed and tested utilizing data from an online survey-based experiment. Findings of the study suggest information from self-presentations is seen as valuable, yet can create ambiguity for decision makers. Implications for theory and hiring organizations assessing the influence of SNSs on hiring are discussed.