Applicant reactions to social media assessment: A review and conceptual framework

Applicant reactions to selection procedures have attracted much scholarly attention in the work and organizational psychology literature over the past three decades. While this body of literature is quite robust, scholarly research into applicant reactions to social media assessment more specifically is sparse. In this article, we develop a comprehensive theoretical framework to better understand applicant reactions to social media assessment. We explicate the process by which various individual, organizational, and labor market antecedents elicit different reactions from job applicants and the resulting behavioral consequences. We argue that SM assessments are very different from traditional assessments and thus require a new theoretical framework that is context specific to capture applicant reactions, and in so doing, add value to extant reactions frameworks. Our theorizing advances the applicant reactions literature by providing an expanded view of the significant role of social media in the hiring process and how applicants are likely to respond to this new assessment tool. Drawing on this conceptual framework, we offer propositions and discuss the implications for research and practice.     

When and why employees of non-profits promote their organizations: Determinants of positive staff-word-of-mouth

Employees represent a credible source of information for prospective job applicants of non-profit organizations. However, less is known about when and why staff actively promote their organizations. The authors develop a parsimonious model of determinants of positive staff-word-of-mouth (SWOM) and test this model on the data from a survey of employees of a major Scandinavian missionary organization (Normisjon). The findings show that identification with the organization, organizational climate, and task satisfaction are significant determinants of positive SWOM. The pattern of effects differs for employees with and without formal leadership responsibility. For employees with such responsibilities, organizational identification has a greater effect and organizational climate a weaker effect on SWOM than for employees with no leadership responsibility. Based on the current findings and the broader literature on employer branding and recruitment, the authors offer tentative guidelines for how to increase positive SWOM for nonprofits.     

Keeping Work in Perspective: Work–Nonwork Considerations and Applicant Decision Making

The work–nonwork supportiveness of an organization may influence applicant decision making among young applicants. This possibility was tested using a phased narrowing decision making task and three organizational attributes (salary, number of work–nonwork supportive policies/benefits and their related culture supportiveness). Data gathered from a sample of 110 graduating college business majors partially supported the hypotheses (p < 0.05), revealing a dynamic influence of the organizational attributes across decision making stages and a differential impact of the attributes depending on their framing as family-friendly or life-friendly. Salary was especially important in initial screening of organizational options, and the organizational culture support of work–nonwork challenges was increasingly influential as the final choice was formed. Implications for young applicant attraction are discussed. The research presented here (a portion of the author’s master’s thesis at Bowling Green State University) was presented at the 2006 Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology in Dallas, TX. Thanks go to Dr. Steve M. Jex, Dr. Scott Highhouse, and Dr. Cathy Stein for their assistance in the development of this study. Thanks are also owed to Dr. Michael Doherty for his thoughtful comments on an earlier draft.     

Factors affecting the effectiveness and acceptance of electronic selection systems

There has been a rise in the use of electronic selection (e-selection) systems in organizations. Given the widespread use of these systems, this article reviews the factors that affect their effectiveness and acceptance by job applicants (applicant acceptance), and offers directions for future research on the topic. In particular, we examine the effectiveness and acceptance of these systems at each stage of the selection process including (a) job analysis, (b) job application, (c) pre-employment testing, (d) interviewing, (e) selection decision-making, and (f) evaluation and validation. We also consider their potential for adverse impact and invasion of privacy. Finally, we present some implications for e-selection system design and implementation.     

Toward an integrated model of applicant reactions and job choice

Previous research on applicant reactions to selection procedures has mainly emphasized the importance of procedural justice. However, much of this work has not examined other applicant reaction mechanisms (such as signals and expectancy) or additional variables known to influence job choice (e.g. pay, location and marketability). In contrast, this longitudinal field study took these other mechanisms and variables into account through the examination of the job choice processes of 588 applicants located in Canada to 215 organizations. Structural equation modelling was used to test an integrated model combining the three mechanisms of procedural justice, signals and expectancy, controlling for pay, location, and marketability. Support was found for signal and expectancy mechanisms influencing applicant intentions and job choice, and these effects were stronger for applicants with multiple opportunities and less pre-interview knowledge of the organization.     

Revisiting the beauty is beastly effect: examining when and why sex and attractiveness impact hiring judgments

We contribute to the body of literature on the what is beautiful is good heuristic (Dion, Berscheid, & Walster, 1972, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24, 285–290), the beauty is beastly effect (Heilman & Saruwatari, 1979, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 23, 360–372) and lack of fit theory (Heilman, 1983, Research in Organizational Behavior, 5, 269–298) by reconciling previous discrepancies in the literature and by examining the circumstances in which attractiveness may and may not be detrimental for female job applicants. First, we perform a review of studies which have previously tested the beauty is beastly effect, and we provide and test explanations for previous discrepancies in the literature. Next, we conduct two new studies on the beauty is beastly effect using corporate types of jobs, and empirically test Heilman's lack of fit theory (1983) as an explanation for the effect. We find support for the effect in a general population sample, and partial support for the effect in a sample of human resource professionals. We also provide support for a mediated moderation model showing that applicant sex is related to job suitability for a male-typed job through the indirect effect of perceived agency, which is moderated by applicant attractiveness.     

Identifying “best” applicants in recruiting using data envelopment analysis

Selecting the most promising candidates to fill an open position can be a difficult task when there are many applicants. Each applicant achieves certain performance levels in various categories and the resulting information can be overwhelming. We demonstrate how data envelopment analysis (DEA) can be used as a fair screening and sorting tool to support the candidate selection and decision-making process. Each applicant is viewed as an entity with multiple achievements. Without any a priori preference or information on the multiple achievements, DEA identifies the non-dominated solutions, which, in our case, represent the “best” candidates. A DEA-aided recruiting process was developed that (1) determines the performance levels of the “best” candidates relative to other applicants; (2) evaluates the degree of excellence of “best” candidates’ performance; (3) forms consistent tradeoff information on multiple recruiting criteria among search committee members, and, then, (4) clusters the applicants.     

Sounding “Different”: The Role of Sociolinguistic Cues in Evaluating Job Candidates

An increasingly diverse labor pool has increased the likelihood that HR recruiters will encounter job seekers who speak with different dialects. Prior studies have investigated the effects of applicant dialect on employment selection outcomes. In this article, we merge this research with stereotyping, “modern racism,” and sociolinguistics literatures to formulate propositions surrounding two questions of interest: (1) Do prospective employers categorize job applicants using sociolinguistic cues? and (2) If so, what impact does this categorization have on evaluations of applicant employability? We believe this research can provide significant insights into HR practice as discriminatory behaviors change and adapt to fit social norms, particularly in employee recruitment and selection contexts. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Can group identity explain the gender gap in the recruitment process?

Despite evidence that the gender gap in the labour market favours men, aggregate findings from correspondence studies show that women are more likely than men to be invited for a job interview. We hypothesize that the predominance of women among recruiters may explain this somewhat puzzling finding; recruiters may favour applicants of their own gender. We use the data from a large-scale correspondence study to test this hypothesis. As expected, we find that female applicants are more likely to receive callbacks for interview. We also see that in our sample the majority of contact persons responsible for the recruitment process are female. More importantly, we find that if recruiter and applicant are of the same gender, then the likelihood that the applicant will be invited for an interview increases. These findings reveal the gender favouritism at the selection stage in the labour market.     

Core processes and applicant reactions to the employment interview: an exploratory study in Greece

This research explores the employment interview in Greece with two aims: first, to look at the practice of the employment interview from the interviewer perspective, exploring a number of issues, which have been identified as important for increasing interview's effectiveness and second, to look at the role of interviewers' characteristics on applicant reactions and their behavioral intentions to the actual interview, using two independent samples of interviewers (N = 131) and actual job applicants (N = 122), respectively. The results of the first study were quite supportive regarding the effective use of the employment interview in Greece. In the second study, interviewers' personal characteristics were related to applicants' post-interview attitudes and intentions, although this relationship was fully mediated by the overall perception of the interview held by the job applicant. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Towards a Theory of Applicant Faking: Integrating Studies of Deception

Research on applicant faking has generally employed group comparison designs in order to investigate the prevalence and effects of intentional response distortion on noncognitive selection tests. Unfortunately, these studies do not tell us which applicants are most likely to successfully fake their responses or the situational conditions which are most likely to induce excessive faking. In an effort to understand individual differences in intentional response distortion, an interactional model of applicant faking is proposed. Because successful faking requires both a motivation to fake the test and the ability to fake, the situational and dispositional factors influencing these facets are described. Where possible, research from the faking literature is used to verify the model. Studies of academic cheating, employee theft, deception and antisocial behavior are also presented in order to provide empirical support for the proposed model.     

The role of internal agents in starting salary negotiations

We introduce the concept that internal organizational agents who negotiate starting salary packages with job applicants may not always act in the organization's best interests. To gain an understanding of what motivates the internal agent toward assuming a particular role, we use expectancy theory, agency theory and concepts from the negotiations literature. We describe the roles that agents may assume, identify factors that impact agents' motivation, and formulate propositions to help identify which role an agent is likely to enact in starting salary negotiations. We form propositions as to how these roles are likely to impact final negotiation outcomes of probability of hiring, salary size, and applicant satisfaction and discuss strategies for ensuring agents are motivated to enact a role that meets organizational objectives.     

Conceptions of employee responsibilities and rights in the United States and the People's Republic of China

Workplace responsibilities and rights tend to be defined in ways that imply their universal applicability in various cultural contexts. Based on comparisons of the United States and the People's Republic of China, this article investigates the influence of differing cultural characteristics on conceptions of responsibilities and rights. The basic assumptions underlying the conceptions of employee (and employer) responsibilities and rights in the two countries are examined. Evidence drawn from relevant bodies of literature and a close examination of many social or organizational incidents suggest that the concepts of employee (and employer) rights and responsibilities are culture-relative. Based on the findings, the article further offers a set of theoretical propositions, and discusses implications for future comparative research on employee responsibilities and rights.     

Screening‐oriented recruitment messages: Antecedents and relationships with applicant pool quality

The ability of firms to attract qualified job applicants is a critical component of the human resource management process. However, while a large body of research has examined the relationship between firm recruitment practices and applicant pool attributes, very little research has investigated what factors are associated with organizational decision makers' utilization of specific recruitment tactics. We draw on labor economics, sociological, and agency theoretical perspectives to make predictions regarding the use of screening‐oriented recruitment messages in actual web‐based job advertisements. Results suggest that perceptions of labor supply, recruiting firm reputation, and the use of quality‐based compensation incentives are associated with use of screening‐oriented messages, which in turn are associated with applicant pool quality. These findings hold important theoretical insights into the factors shaping firm recruitment activity and provide practical strategic implications for managing firm recruitment objectives. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Resolving the conflict between clients’ privacy rights and employees’ equal employment opportunity rights

It is unlawful under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act for employers to discriminate against applicants or employees because of their sex unless sex is a bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ). During the past two decades, a number of courts were asked to decide whether sex is a BFOQ for the purpose of protecting clients’ privacy rights (i.e., whether employers could insist that employees be of the same sex as their clients for those jobs which required employees to touch or view clients’ bodies in various stages of undress). This investigation examined relevant judicial opinions rendered throughout the United States to determine how the courts resolved this conflict between clients’ privacy rights and employees’ equal employment opportunity rights.     

Watch What You Say: Job Applicants’ Justice Perceptions From Initial Organizational Correspondence

Although it is a common practice for organizations to communicate with job seekers following application submission, little is known about how applicants react to this correspondence. Drawing from recruitment and organizational justice theories, we explore the possibility that specific correspondence content influences job seekers’ fairness perceptions. Data collected from 119 actual job applicants indicated that providing relevant information about the recruitment process (information adequacy) positively related to informational and interpersonal justice perceptions. However, delivering this information in an interpersonally sensitive manner (information sensitivity) had a stronger impact on interpersonal justice perceptions. Finally, post hoc analyses suggested that incorporating specific content delivered in initial job applicant correspondence could allow recruiting organizations to develop practical, cost‐effective strategies for enhancing job seekers’ fairness perceptions following their application submission. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The challenge of responsibilities: Confronting the revolution in workplace rights in modern organizations

The contemporary world of work is experiencing a revolution in workplace rights thinking and practices. Included among factors related to this are professionalization and technocracy, management orthodoxy, corrupt organizational structures, the moral ineptitude of business education, the increasing size of the working population, worker mobility, worker diversity and the variegated cultural milieu, the growth of highly paid and very powerful workers, favorable solons, and supportive justices. Demands for protection and respect of rights are expressed in a variety of ways ranging from the statutory or economic to the ethical or psychological. Because of the correlative link between rights and responsibilities, organizational researchers and practitioners should be concerned with identifying various responsibilities implied by various employer and employee rights. Of equal importance is the challenge of examining in detail these responsibilities and how the strategies suggested by them can be used to manage specific employee rights in the contemporary workplace.     

论专利申请文件的修改

在申请专利时,经常需要申请人对申请文件进行修改。如何在专利审查过程中合理修改申请文件以获得适当的专利保护范围是专利申请人需要认真对待的问题。文章通过实例分析,为国内专利申请人获得与其技术贡献相适应的专利保护范围提供借鉴,使申请人的利益得到切实保护。     

Labor education as a method of enhancing employee rights and responsibilities

University-based labor education programs conduct classes designed to provide union members with the skills necessary to perform their organizational and civic responsibilities and to provide union members with opportunities for personal growth and development. In conducting these programs, university labor educators enhance the protection of employee rights and the fulfillment of employee responsibilities. This article describes the manner in which labor education enhances collective and individual rights and responsibilities within unions, vis-à-vis employers and within the larger society.     

Personalauswahl durch Self-Selection-Strategien: Traditionelle Konzepte und Ansätze zu deren Weiterentwicklung

Economic literature deals with self-selection strategies to overcome quality uncertainty in the application process. Self-selection strategies are beased on the informational impact of an applicant’s preference of a contract within a set of different contracts. If applicants of different qualities prefer different contracts, a seperating equilibrium occurs. In reality self-selection strategies are rarely used by companies. This paper analyses two possibilities to develop theoretical approaches so that they may be useful devices in practical staff selection.