Individualism vs Collectivism: Strategies for Interviewing Collectivists More Effectively

Imagine conducting an interview and fully expecting the candidates to brag about themselves.

The problem is that, for many cultural groups, this is not an easy thing to do.

Clearly, your U.S. candidates will have no problem sharing their accomplishments. In fact, they are raised to “toot their own horn.” So, in an interview, their goal is to sell themselves in the best light possible.

Candidates from certain groups, though, may find this type of self-disclosure very difficult. That is because, for them, it is inappropriate to talk about their own accomplishments.

So, the challenge is: How do you make room for both types of candidates? In other words, how can you conduct the interview in an inclusive manner so all candidates can come in and feel they performed at their best? 

Understanding the Difference Between Individualism and Collectivism 

This is a cultural dimension that was first introduced by Hofstede in a large-scale study of over 100 thousand managers and employees worldwide.

This dimension has to do with the tendency of certain groups to prioritize the needs of an individual or the needs of a group. In other words, whose goals are more important? Those of the individual or those of the group?

In individualistic societies such as the United States, an individual’s personal goals receive priority consideration over those of the group. Individuals decide what is best for themselves and work toward accomplishing such goals.

In the workplace, for example, employees feel compelled to distinguish themselves from others. And if they make a unique contribution to the organization, they will likely be recognized for that.

Their own professional goals come first, and individuals stay with an organization as long as it does not prevent them from meeting their desire to grow professionally.

Collectivism, on the other hand, refers to the broad value tendencies of a culture in emphasizing the importance of the group’s needs over individual needs. In collectivistic societies, the needs of the group usually take precedence over the needs of the individual.

This is best explained with an example.

I once had an undergraduate assistant from Iraq. He was not doing well in his chosen major so his advisor in the international office contacted his sponsor so they could authorize a major change.

Remember that, in the United States, changing majors is very common. In fact, studies show that at least 80% of college students change their major throughout their college education.

However, the answer from the sponsor was a resounding NO. He argued that the country needed electrical engineers (which was my assistant’s major) and if he did not want to pursue it, he needed to come home and he would send somebody else.

This is a classic example of how the needs of the group—in this case, the country—take precedence over the needs of the individual.

The figure below will give you a sense of where certain countries fall in the individualism/collectivism continuum. The United States, as you can see, is the most individualistic country in the world, as compared to others. 

Position of certain countries in the individualism/collectivism continuum:

How Individualism and Collectivism Impact the Interview Process and What You Can Do About It

Individualism and collectivism impact many aspects of a global organization such as the interview process (as shared above), talent recognition, how decisions are made, how individuals compete, how goals are achieved, and even performance evaluation.

In the example I mentioned, how can the hiring committee make room for both types of candidates?

Above all, this behavior needs to be recognized for what it is – a cultural difference and not a deficiency on the part of the candidate.

You need to understand that candidates with collectivist tendencies may have a harder time bragging about their individual accomplishments. That is because, for them, success is accomplished through cooperation and not because of a single individual.

Those conducting the interview need to find creative ways for their collectivist candidates to share their past accomplishments and skills without focusing on personal accomplishments.

The solution, then, is to tailor the questions in a way that allows the candidates to highlight their accomplishments as part of a team and not as an individual.

So, instead of asking:

Tell me about your experiences with X, Y, or Z.

you could ask:

Would you mind sharing how you helped your team accomplish X, Y, and Z? And what was your specific role in the team?

For a FREE PDF with a summary of the characteristics of individualists and collectivists as well as 7 strategies to work more effectively with your collectivist employees or partners, CLICK HERE.

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