In the competitive world of job seeking and entrepreneurship, finding the right way to showcase one’s skills and achievements can be a delicate balancing act. A recent study has revealed that ‘humorbragging’ – the art of blending self-promotion with humor – may be the key to success in this arena.
This multi-method study, involving analyses of resumes, job interviews, and entrepreneurial pitches, demonstrates that humorbragging not only makes candidates seem more likable and competent but also significantly increases their chances of being hired or receiving investment offers. The findings have been published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
The drive behind this research stems from the familiar challenge faced by many: how to effectively promote oneself without coming off as arrogant or boastful. Prior research in this field has consistently highlighted the self-promotion paradox, where too much self-promotion can lead to negative perceptions, while too little can render one’s accomplishments invisible. This paradox creates a tricky situation for job candidates and entrepreneurs who need to showcase their abilities while maintaining a likable persona.
“Each member of our team has experienced awkwardness when discussing our achievements. We realized that we sometimes use humor to overcome this awkwardness. Intrigued by this, we saw the potential of humor as a strategy to navigate the dilemma of balancing the need to demonstrate competence while also appearing likable and relatable,” explained study author Jieun Pai, an assistant professor in the Management and Entrepreneurship Department at Imperial College Business School.
To investigate the effectiveness of humorbragging, Pai and her colleagues conducted a series of four studies.
Study 1: Impact of Humorbragging in Resumes
The first part of the study focused on the role of humor in resumes. Researchers created two resumes for fictional applicants seeking sales representative positions. These resumes were identical in qualifications and experience, but one included humorbragging in the career objectives section, while the other stuck to straightforward self-promotion. The team sent these resumes to 345 companies and tracked the level of interest through website visits, emails, texts, and voicemails.
The straightforward resume stated: “I am a highly motivated and detail-oriented sales representative with experience and a proven track record of people skills. I look forward to supporting your company’s goals dedicatedly.”
In contrast, the humorbragging resume stated: “I am a driven sales representative who is detail-oriented and passionate about serving your company’s goals. I have a proven track record of turning caffeine input into productivity output. The more coffee you can provide, the more output I will produce.”
The results were striking. The humorbragging resume received three times as many website visitors and significantly more contact from recruiters compared to the self-promotion resume. This part of the study highlighted that adding a touch of humor to self-promotion in a resume can catch the attention of potential employers more effectively than traditional methods.
Study 2: Humorbragging in Job Interviews
Building on the first study, the second experiment explored how humorbragging influences perceptions of warmth and competence in job interviews. Participants were asked to play the role of a restauranteur hiring an assistant pastry chef. They evaluated transcripts of mock interviews where candidates either used humorbragging or plain self-promotion to describe their proudest moment as a pastry chef.
Both candidates explained how they had created a soccer-themed cake for a boy’s fifth birthday party, which resulted in a “huge” tip from the boy’s parents. In the straightforward condition, the candidate then added: “It was the biggest tip the bakery has ever seen, and no one else received more since.” In the humorbragging condition, the candidate instead said: “I am just glad that I only had to make the soccer ball, not actually kick one.”
The findings revealed that the candidate using humorbragging was perceived as both warmer and more competent, leading to higher hiring intentions among participants. This suggests that humorbragging can positively affect how candidates are perceived in job interviews, enhancing their appeal to potential employers.
“One of the more surprising elements of our findings was the significant impact a single line of self-enhancing humor could have on outcomes,” Pai told PsyPost.
Study 3: Humorbragging in Entrepreneurial Pitches
The third part of the study took a different approach, analyzing pitches from the television show Shark Tank. Focusing on male entrepreneurs from the first four seasons, the researchers categorized each pitch based on the type of humor used, including humorbragging, self-diminishing humor, and other-diminishing humor. They then examined the correlation between these categories and the likelihood of receiving an investment offer.
Interestingly, entrepreneurs who employed humorbragging were significantly more likely to secure an offer from investors, compared to those who didn’t use humor or used other forms of humor. This part of the study underscores the potential of humorbragging in high-stakes entrepreneurial settings, suggesting that it could be an effective tool for gaining investor interest.
Study 4: Experimental Validation of Humorbragging
Finally, the fourth study aimed to provide experimental evidence for the unique benefits of humorbragging. Participants evaluated job candidates based on their responses in hypothetical interviews that included different types of humor. The study confirmed that humorbragging led to higher hiring intentions than other forms of humor or straightforward self-promotion.
This study’s findings align with the previous three, reinforcing the idea that humorbragging can be a more effective self-presentation strategy than traditional methods or other humorous approaches.
“The key takeaway from our study is the effectiveness of using self-enhancing humor, or humorbragging, in professional settings,” Pai explained. “This approach allows individuals to highlight their competencies and achievements in a manner that is perceived as more likable and less threatening. It suggests that incorporating a light-hearted, humorous angle when discussing one’s accomplishments can make a person more appealing and relatable, without diminishing the perception of their competence.”
While the study offers compelling insights into the power of humorbragging, it is not without its limitations. One key constraint is the focus on specific contexts, such as sales positions or entrepreneurial pitches, which may not generalize across all professions or scenarios. Additionally, the study primarily examined male candidates, leaving the impact of gender on the effectiveness of humorbragging an open question.
Future research could expand on these findings by exploring a broader range of professions and including a more diverse group of candidates. It would also be valuable to delve deeper into the types of humor that work best in different contexts and for different audiences.
“While our studies show the positive effects of humorbragging, a major caveat is the context and execution,” Pai said. “Humor is subjective and can be perceived differently based on cultural, social, and individual factors. It’s crucial to ensure that the humor used is appropriate for the situation and audience. Questions that still need to be addressed include how different cultures interpret and respond to self-enhancing humor, and how individuals can skillfully adapt their humorbragging approach to different professional contexts.”
“It’s important to emphasize that while humorbragging can be an effective strategy, it should be used judiciously and in balance with other communication techniques,” the researcher added. “Over-reliance on humor, especially if not well-calibrated to the audience and context, can backfire.”
The study, “The Humor Advantage: Humorous Bragging Benefits Job Candidates and Entrepreneurs“, was authored by Jieun Pai, Eileen Y. Chou, and Nir Halevy.
