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The interactive effects of job advertisement characteristics and applicant experience on reactions to recruitment messages
Author(s) -
Walker H. Jack,
Feild Hubert S.,
Giles William F.,
Bernerth Jeremy B.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of occupational and organizational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.257
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 2044-8325
pISSN - 0963-1798
DOI - 10.1348/096317907x252487
Subject(s) - seekers , psychology , attractiveness , job attitude , social psychology , perception , job performance , job analysis , advertising , job satisfaction , business , political science , neuroscience , psychoanalysis , law
Job seekers often use job advertisements presented during the early stages of recruitment to gather important information about potential employers. Content of these advertisements as well as associated peripheral cues have the potential to influence job seekers' organizational attitudes. Using the elaboration likelihood model as a theoretical framework, the authors proposed that job seekers' previous work and job search experience moderate the extent to which these job advertisement characteristics influence attitudes towards organizations. Results suggest that the content of job advertisements influence the organizational attitudes of experienced job seekers more than their inexperienced counterparts. Additionally, the presence of peripheral cues (i.e. physical attractiveness of those persons shown in recruitment material) appears to have a greater effect on the organizational attractiveness perceptions of job seekers having less work and job search experience versus those having more experience. Implications of the findings regarding organizational recruitment practices are discussed.