Organizational attractiveness and prospective applicants’ intentions to apply

an article by Prof. Daniel Roque Gomes published in Personnel Review (Volume 40 Issue 6 (2011))

Abstract

Purpose
This paper aims to clarify the process that leads prospective applicants to apply to a job vacancy, when one is being evaluated. We propose that prospective applicants evaluate a job vacancy based on the characteristics of the job and the organizational attributes. This will determine organizational attractiveness perception, and will result in the intention to apply to a job vacancy.
Design/methodology/approach
We have presented an adapted employment ad that described a job and an organization to 51 Marketing professionals and to 73 undergraduate Marketing students, and asked them to respond to a questionnaire that contained the measures of the study variables. The hypotheses were tested using linear regression methodology.
Findings
Organizational attractiveness fully mediates the relations between the job characteristics and the organizational attributes with intention to apply to a job vacancy. Analysis over the compared importance of each factor has outlined the major importance of the organizational attributes and feedback of the job for determining this process.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should clarify the role of organizational image as an employer and organizational familiarity in this process.
Practical implications
Recruitment messages in employment ads should give preferential focus over the elements of organization attributes and feedback of the job. These elements will more strongly determine attractiveness perception, and consequentially, predict intention to apply to a job vacancy.
Originality/value
The study clarifies the role of organizational attractiveness on the process that leads to intention to apply to a job vacancy. Significant part of the proposed model was based on clues retrieved from existing research.

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