{"id":39050,"date":"2025-03-23T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T11:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=39050"},"modified":"2025-04-06T16:45:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-06T16:45:18","slug":"why-the-words-in-your-job-posting-may-attract-rule-bending-narcissists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/why-the-words-in-your-job-posting-may-attract-rule-bending-narcissists\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the words in your job posting may attract rule-bending narcissists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jonathan-gay-2323829\">Jonathan Gay<\/a>, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/university-of-mississippi-2400\">University of Mississippi<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When companies advertise job openings, they often use buzzwords like \u201cambitious\u201d and \u201cself-reliant\u201d to describe their ideal candidate. These traits sound appealing \u2014 what hiring manager wouldn\u2019t want a driven employee?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there\u2019s a catch. In my latest study, <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1287\/mnsc.2024.05254\">published in the journal Management Science<\/a> with co-authors <a href=\"https:\/\/sc.edu\/study\/colleges_schools\/moore\/directory\/jackson_scott.php\">Scott Jackson<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rhsmith.umd.edu\/directory\/nick-seybert\">Nick Seybert<\/a>, I found that these terms may attract job applicants <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jrp.2005.03.002\">with more narcissistic tendencies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/olemiss.edu\/profiles\/jlgay\">behavioral researchers<\/a> in accounting, we are interested in <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/1475-679X.12176\">executives who bend the rules<\/a>. We decided to study job postings after noticing that the language used to describe an \u201cideal candidate\u201d often included traits linked to narcissism. For example, narcissists tend to see themselves as <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/0146167210385109\">highly creative<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1037\/0022-3514.54.5.890\">and persuasive<\/a>. Prior research also shows that narcissistic employees are more innovative and willing to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s11142-017-9427-x\">take risks to get the success<\/a> and admiration they crave, even if it means bending the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on these observations, we compiled two sets of terms commonly used in job postings. We call the two sets \u201crule-follower\u201d and \u201crule-bender\u201d language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-datawrapper wp-block-embed-datawrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" title=\"Certain words in job postings appeal to different types of candidates:\u00a0\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/qrgx1\/2\/#?secret=HI7dPKqbBV\" data-secret=\"HI7dPKqbBV\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"428\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some examples of rule-bender language include \u201cdevelops creative and innovative solutions to problems,\u201d \u201ccommunicates in a tactical and persuasive manner\u201d and \u201cthinks outside the box.\u201d In contrast, the rule-follower language includes terms like \u201crelies on time-tested solutions to problems,\u201d \u201ccommunicates in a straightforward and accurate manner\u201d and \u201cthinks methodically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1287\/mnsc.2024.05254\">a series of experiments<\/a>, we found that rule-bender language attracts individuals with higher levels of narcissism for accounting-specific jobs, as well as other industries. To measure narcissism, we used a personality assessment that asks people to choose whether they identify more with more narcissistic statements like, \u201cI always know what I am doing,\u201d or less narcissistic statements like \u201cSometimes I am not sure of what I am doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also found that recruiters are more likely to use rule-bender terms when hiring for highly innovative, high-growth companies. For accounting positions, recruiters are more likely to use such terms when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/a\/aggressiveaccounting.asp#:%7E:text=What%20Is%20Aggressive%20Accounting%3F,the%20recognition%20of%20a%20loss.\">aggressive financial reporting<\/a> could benefit the firm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Why it matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies write job postings carefully in hopes of attracting the ideal candidate. However, they may unknowingly attract <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10551-021-04761-z\">and select<\/a> narcissistic candidates whose goals and ethics might not align with a company\u2019s values or long-term success. Research shows that narcissistic employees are more likely <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2308\/accr-51276\">to behave unethically<\/a>, potentially leading to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10551-012-1528-7\">legal consequences<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While narcissistic traits can lead to negative outcomes, we aren\u2019t saying that companies should avoid attracting narcissistic applicants altogether. Consider a company hiring a salesperson. A firm can benefit from a salesperson who is persuasive, who \u201cthinks outside the box\u201d and who is \u201cresults-oriented.\u201d In contrast, a company hiring an accountant or compliance officer would likely benefit from someone who \u201cthinks methodically\u201d and \u201ccommunicates in a straightforward and accurate manner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bending the rules is of particular concern in accounting. A significant amount of research examines how accounting managers sometimes bend rules or massage the numbers to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.jacceco.2005.01.002\">achieve earnings targets<\/a>. This \u201cearnings management\u201d can misrepresent the company\u2019s true financial position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, my co-author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rhsmith.umd.edu\/directory\/nick-seybert\">Nick Seybert<\/a> is currently <a href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5135440\">working on a paper<\/a> whose data suggests rule-bender language in accounting job postings predicts rule-bending in financial reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our current findings shed light on the importance of carefully crafting job posting language. Recruiting professionals may instinctively use rule-bender language to try to attract someone who seems like a <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/j.1744-6570.1996.tb01790.x\">good fit<\/a>. If companies are concerned about hiring narcissists, they may want to clearly communicate their ethical values and needs while crafting a job posting, or avoid rule-bender language entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>What still isn\u2019t known<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While we find that professional recruiters are using language that attracts narcissists, it is unclear whether this is intentional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, we are unsure what really drives rule-bending in a company. Rule-bending could happen due to attracting and hiring more narcissistic candidates, or it could be because of a company\u2019s culture \u2013 or a combination of both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/us\/topics\/research-brief-83231\">Research Brief<\/a> is a short take on interesting academic work.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/jonathan-gay-2323829\">Jonathan Gay<\/a>, Assistant Professor of Accountancy, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/university-of-mississippi-2400\">University of Mississippi<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/why-the-words-in-your-job-posting-may-attract-rule-bending-narcissists-249933\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jonathan Gay, University of Mississippi When companies advertise job openings, they often use buzzwords like \u201cambitious\u201d and \u201cself-reliant\u201d to describe their ideal candidate. These traits sound appealing \u2014 what hiring manager wouldn\u2019t want a driven employee? But there\u2019s a catch. In my latest study, published in the journal Management Science with co-authors Scott Jackson and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":39052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5,826,277,25,27,15533],"tags":[6396,1654,196,16173,885,891,886,860,942,5711,7727],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39050"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/56"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39050"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39050\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39053,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39050\/revisions\/39053"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}