Do you know of a guy who blows his own horn so much that you just wish he was not going to show up at the party or group meeting? Sometimes we call them obnoxious, self-seeking or self-absorbed or narcissist.
Well according to a study to be published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, this trait which is considered unbearable in most circumstances, actually pays off a great deal in the immediate perspective of a job interview.
The researchers found that self-absorbed individuals or narcissists scored much higher in simulated job interviews than non-narcissists. They pointed to narcissists’ innate tendency to promote themselves, in part by engaging and speaking at length, which implied confidence and expertise even when they were held to account by expert interviewers.
If you were brought up with the theory that humility is a virtue, that theory is still valid today, so hold on to it. Nevertheless, learning how to talk with confidence about what you’ve accomplished and how you did it is admirable and is not considered pride. In fact, you’re expected to know how to do that if you want to stay competitive in today’s job market and economy. Continue reading “A little Bit of Bragging Can Pay Off, Researchers Say”
