No Expectation, No Disappointment: How Does Meta-Accuracy Affect Hireability?

People may or not know the impression they convey to others (meta-accuracy). However, little research has addressed to what extent meta-accuracy affects social outcomes such as hireability (recruiter’s intention to hire). Three studies were conducted to test whether people who knew the impression they conveyed are the ones who are more likely to get hired. Results of polynomial regression and responses surface analyses showed that meta-accuracy was related to hireability, whether meta-accuracy concerns skills during an interview (Study 1, N = 49, and Study 2, N = 127) or traits and skills on a résumé (Study 3, N = 135). The pattern of results takes three forms. First, the lack of meta-accuracy, as the simple gap between metaperception and other’s perception, reduces hireability. Second, hireability is higher when meta- and other’s perception are favorable rather than unfavorable, while staying in agreement. Third, hireability is higher for applicants underestimating the extent to which a recruiter would perceive favorably their traits and/or skills than for overestimators. These results suggest that the best chance to get hired does not rely only on good impressions but also on knowing, or at least on underestimating, the impressions made upon others.