You’ve just walked out of an interview with a spectacular new broker who you think might just be your next superstar. So what do you do now? Hire somebody else, say the experts.
You’ve just walked out of an interview with a spectacular new broker who you think might just be your next superstar. So what do you do now? Hire somebody else, say the experts.
It may seem contradictory, but according to research by industrial psychologist Jeff Simpson, those dazzling interview stand-outs are likely to be your lowest performers.
In a study of 75 graduates from five top consulting firms, Simpson identified 10 as having narcissistic traits. In the interview process this group tended to be the applicants that were earmarked as “star recruits”.
“This is not surprising as narcissists have the knack of creating a good first impression, talking big and creating urgency around them,” said Simpson.
In the space of a year, however, the same group were rated as near the bottom of their graduate group by their managers, and by the second year were placed at the bottom.
Conversely, none of the top performers were rated as having a strong impact at the initial interview stage.
Corporate workplaces are likely to attract narcissists, said Simpson, and brokerages struggling in a difficult market are at the greatest risk of hiring them, said Simpson.
“If an organisation is secure within itself, it won’t tend to be as vulnerable to hiring a narcissistic personality as when in times of turmoil. A self-confident personality may mistakenly be construed as the strength and competence they’re looking for when facing change or uncertainty.”
The key lesson to be learnt, said Simpson, is not to let yourself be wowed by strong personalities and confidence when looking for new brokers.
“Humility is a great virtue for an applicant for a job, but it’s not something that’s eye-catching, whereas narcissists as people present very well at an interview and tend to be given more opportunities but tend to underperform.”
