Job-Seeker Reactions to Selection Process Information in Job Ads

Using a policy-capturing methodology, the current study examines if and to what extent individuals utilize selection process information contained in job ads in making evaluations of organizational attractiveness and decisions to apply. Results show both indirect and direct evidence that individuals do attend to and use these cues when presented in job ads in making initial job-pursuit evaluations. Additionally, the results are consistent with a model derived from the organizational justice literature suggesting that perceptions of selection procedures' measurement accuracy may drive the observed effects. Specifically, ratings of organizational attractiveness and intentions to apply were significantly associated with perceptions of a given selection method's assessment accuracy for those ads that specified its use. Policy-capturing results also show direct evidence that participants attend to and rely on selection process information in job ads to make job-pursuit evaluations, and that perceptions of measurement accuracy are related to the degree to which, and how those cues are utilized. Research and applied implications are discussed.

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