If you really want that hefty raise or cushy job, J. Michael Crant has some proven advice for you: Be careful how you try to impress the boss, and don't try too hard.
"When it comes to making a good impression," the ND associate professor of management says, "very often less is more."
The little things people consciously and unconsciously do to impress their superiors really do have an effect, Crant says. One recent study of "impression management" found that applicants who either wore perfume or gave glowing self-descriptions were more likely to be hired. Those who used both tactics, however, were less likely to get the job.
"A plus becomes a minus when it is viewed as inappropriate behavior," Crant notes. "If something is perceived as ‘too much' or obvious manipulation, it is seen as out of line. Subtlety is the key here."
Crant discovered in his own research that multiple tactics create a negative impression, especially if they are inconsistent.
"For example, self-handicapping and credit-taking are inconsistent. You can't take credit for a success if you offer a pre-emptive excuse for anticipated failure." Crant found that the initial excuse is then doubted and perceived as gross manipulation.
"That really backfires; people have a very strong negative reaction to this," he says. "Self-handicapping works only if you really do fail."