Job information sources and applicant perceptions : antecedents, correlates, and outcomes

Abstract

The current research used three studies to examine recruitment source usage, job seeker perceptions of recruitment sources and the relationships between several recruitment sources' correlates. The relationship between recruitment sources, job information, expectations and outcome variables was also examined. Study One used archival data from a large employee and employer survey developed by Statistics Canada, the Workplace Environment Survey (WES) and looked at the change in recruitment source usage over time as well as several firm and individual differences predictors. Study Two utilized qualitative interviews to elicit job seeker perceptions of recruitment sources. Based on the first two studies, Study Three incorporated theoretical constructs such as recruitment source perceptions, expectations, job information gathered and received, self efficacy and affective commitment in order to extend and test the relationships between information and recruitment sources. Study One found a significant increase across time in the use of the internet as a recruitment source and a significant degree of stability in the usage levels of other sources. While individual differences in firms and job seekers were correlated with the types of recruitment sources used, the predictive power of these variables was weak. Study Two uncovered that recruitment sources fulfill multiple purposes; finding job openings, preparing for selection processes and determining perceived fit. A tendency to use multiple sources in job search was clear, contrary to the findings in Study One. Recruitment sources themselves were found to be perceived in ways which may be unintended by the recruiting organization. Study Three supported findings of non-neutral perceptions for various recruitment sources and indications that perceived informativeness did not necessarily follow the typical formal/informal divide proposed in past research. Study Three also found evidence that expectations, perceived fairness and affective commitment explained a significant amount of variance in turnover intensions and job satisfaction; however, recruitment sources themselves did not significantly contribute to the outcomes nor did job information. These findings suggest that further research on recruitment sources should focus on more proximal outcomes such as intention to apply, success in the selection process, quality of job applicants and ease of integration into the organization.