BUS 271: Business Communication

Think Like a Recruiter: Bibliography

Scholarly

Crowley, L., & Jeske, D. (2021). Recruiter perceptions and expectations of desirable graduate attributes and fit. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 49(1), 78-89. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2020.1742287

• One increasingly important aspect for graduates to demonstrate in the context of graduate recruitment is their potential fit to the job and organisation. Using an opportunity sample of 43 recruiters at two career fairs in Ireland, we explored the extent to which graduate attributes incorporate fit, which categories of fit were mentioned, and the importance of fit across recruiters overall. The results showed that fit to the job, teams and organisational values are indeed aspects of increasing importance to graduate recruiters. In addition to credentials and skills, graduates were required to show continuous commitment to learning, resilience and mobility. The proactive engagement of students with employers at fairs may be fostered by pre-fair preparation and employer research.

Hentschel, T., Braun, S., Peus, C., & Frey, D. (2021). Sounds like a fit! Wording in recruitment advertisements and recruiter gender affect women's pursuit of career development programs via anticipated belongingness. Human Resource Management, 60(4), 581-602. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.22043

• Following calls for research to increase gender equality, we investigated women's intentions to pursue career opportunities, in the form of career development programs. We built on lack of fit and signaling theory to argue that women's but not men's pursuit of career opportunities would be influenced by recruiter gender and gender-stereotypical wording in recruitment advertisements. We conducted two studies in Germany. In Study 1 (video-based experiment with 329 university students), we found that when a male recruiter used stereotypically masculine compared to feminine wording, female students anticipated lower belongingness, expected lower success of an application, and indicated lower application intentions for career opportunities. These differences in female students’ evaluations disappeared when the recruiter was female. While Study 2 (experimental vignette study with 545 employees) replicates the negative effects of masculine wording for female employees; the buffering effect of female recruiters was only replicated for younger, but not for older female employees. Women's anticipated belongingness mediated the relationship between advertisement wording and application intentions when the recruiter was male. Recruiter gender and wording had no effects on men. Our work contributes to a better understanding of when and why contextual characteristics in the recruitment process influence women's pursuit of career opportunities.

 Huang, J.-C. (2022). Effects of person-organization fit objective feedback and subjective perception on organizational attractiveness in online recruitment. Personnel Review, 51(4), 1262–1276. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-06-2020-0449

• Purpose: This study applies a person-environment fit (PEF) framework to examine the extent to which organizational attractiveness may be influenced by person-organization fit (POF) feedback and person-job fit (PJF) feedback in web-based recruitment. Furthermore, the potential mediating roles of subjective POF and subjective PJF perceptions were examined. Design/methodology/approach: Senior undergraduate business administration students participated in a two-stage experiment by completing a paper-and-pencil survey during a campus career fair and then reviewing a recruitment website. Findings: Research findings showed that online assessment feedback on PJF was positively related to organizational attractiveness. The higher the level PJF, the more organizational attractiveness participants reported. Second, both POF and PJF feedback information can affect organizational attractiveness indirectly through subjective POF and PJF perceptions, respectively. Fresh graduates were more sensitive to PJF feedback in deciding organizational attractiveness. Originality/value: This study contributes to the recruitment literature in at least three ways. First, online recruitment messages concerning can affect organizational attractiveness. Second, in support of the PEF framework, fresh graduates can distinguish subjective POF perceptions from subjective PJF perceptions. Third, fresh graduates are more sensitive to PJF information and perceptions in deciding organizational attractiveness.

Kristof-Brown, A. L. (2000). Perceived applicant fit: Distinguishing between recruiters' perceptions of person-job and person-organization fit. Personnel Psychology, 53(3), 643-671. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2000.tb00217.x

• Two studies were conducted to assess whether recruiters form distinguishable perceptions of applicant person-job (P-J) and person-organization (P-O) fit. The first study used repertory grid methodology with actual recruiters and mock applicants to demonstrate that knowledge, skills, and abilities are relied on more frequently to assess P-J fit, and values and personality traits more often to assess P-O fit. Study 2, which involved actual recruiters making decisions on applicants in a field setting, supported P-J and P-O fit perceptions as 2 discernable factors. Study 2 also found that both types of perceived fit offer unique prediction of hiring recommendations. Taken together, these results present compelling evidence that recruiters discriminate between applicants' P-J and P-O fit during early interviews.

Kwok, L., Adams, C. R., & Feng, D. (2012). A comparison of graduating seniors who receive job offers and those who do not according to hospitality recruiters' selection criteria. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2), 500-510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2011.07.008

• This study used an exploratory mixed methods approach to identify the characteristics possessed by hospitality graduating seniors who receive job offers. Quantitative analyses reveal that: (a) seniors who receive job offers are different from those who do not in relevant work/internship experience, perceived person–organization and person–job fit, leadership/career preparedness, professionalism, and interview behaviors and (b) student characteristics have various effects on recruiters’ hiring decisions in different hospitality segments. Suggestions are provided to help students better prepare for a hospitality career and hospitality programs better educate students for employments. Future research is advocated to address the limitations.

Lahiri, N. (2022). Response to Economic Shocks: An Organizational Fit Perspective. AIB Insights, 22(2), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.46697/001c.34625

• The outcome of firm choices is better understood when viewed through a contingency framework. By treating prior organizational choices of geographic and vertical scope as a bundle, I propose that fit drives whether these seemingly independent choices align with each other. The recent shortage in the chip industry provides a context to evaluate whether expansion of fabrication facilities enhance (or diminish) the overall impact of the bundle of choices. Using examples of leading firms in the industry, I help frame an argument that may provide insight into why some firms’ new fabrication location choices may be more optimal than others.

Nicholas, J. M., & Handley, M. H. (2020). Employability development in business undergraduates: A qualitative inquiry of recruiter perceptions. Journal of Education for Business, 95(2), 67-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2019.1604483

• Campus recruiters play a pivotal role identifying talent and socializing students into employment. In this exploratory study, 16 recruiters participated in semi structured interviews in the business college of a large state-affiliated research university. Their perceptions emphasize meaningful learning and growth factors in support of developing student potential in contemporary recruitment practices. Analysis and discussion offer implications of practical importance to higher education stakeholders.

Sheikh, A. A., Hassan, N. M., & Sultana, R. (2022). Linking Service-oriented High-Performance Work Practices Bundle with Person job Fit, Person Organization Fit and Affective Commitment: A Parallel Mediation Analysis. Review of Applied Management & Social Sciences (RAMSS), 5(2), 149–166. https://doi.org/10.47067/ramss.v5i2.220

• Affective commitment, having diverse perspectives, is a challenge of the day. The study examines the effect of high-performance work practices (HPWP) on Affective commitment in the Telecom sector of Pakistan through the mediating role of Person-job fit, and Person-organization fit between HPWP and Affective commitment. The study framework strengthens from the Theory of Work Adjustment (Afshan & Motwani) and the Social exchange theory (SET). The purposive sampling technique used 350 questionnaires distributed among employees and 290 returned. Findings show an insignificant direct relationship between HPWP [Career development, Training and development, and Performance appraisal] and Affective commitment. Whereas person-job fit and person-organization fit fully mediate the association among high-performance work practices with Affective commitment.

Tsai, W., Chi, N., Huang, T., & Hsu, A. (2011). The effects of applicant résumé contents on recruiters' hiring recommendations: The mediating roles of recruiter fit perceptions. Applied Psychology, 60(2), 231-254. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2010.00434.x

• The résumé is the most commonly used selection tool for organisations. Past studies have demonstrated that recruiter hiring recommendations can be predicted based on the content of applicant résumés. However, the mechanisms underlying the links between résumé contents and hiring recommendations remain unclear. The present study extends previous research by examining the mediating roles of recruiters' multi-faceted fit perceptions in a field setting. Data were collected from 216 organisational recruiters who participated in campus recruitment at seven universities in Taiwan. The results showed that applicant work experience and educational background increased recruiter hiring recommendations through recruiter perceived person–job (P–J) fit. In addition, applicant work experience

Practitioner 

Berisha, G., & Lajçi, R. (2020). Fit to Last? Investigating How Person-Job Fit and Person-Organization Fit Affect Turnover Intention in the Retail Context. Organizations & Markets in Emerging Economies, 11(2), 407–428. https://doi.org/10.15388/omee.2020.11.40

• Retail supermarket chains face high turnover that creates costs and compromises customer satisfaction. Turnover intention is influenced by the fit or misfit of employees to the job and the organization, as well as their satisfaction with the job and the commitment to the organization. This paper investigates the relationship of person-job (P-J) and person-organization (P-O) fit with job satisfaction and organizational commitment. A total of 211 questionnaires from employees in the retail supermarket chains in Kosovo were collected. Regression analysis is used to test the relationships between fit constructs and work attitudes as outcomes and their effect on turnover intention. Bootstrap mediation is used to test the direct and indirect effect of fits on turnover intention. Results show that person-job fit and person-organization fit have a significant positive effect on job satisfaction and organizational commitment. All these constructs have a negative effect on turnover intention. P-J and P-O fit have a direct negative effect on turnover intention, which is also partially mediated by job satisfaction and organizational commitment. This paper supports previous evidence that P-J and P-O fit have a positive effect on work attitudes and eventually reduce turnover intention. The direct effect of fits on turnover intention is stronger than the indirect effect, mediated by job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Charniga, J. (2019). Finding The Right Fit: Dealerships turn to job fit assessments, personality tests to hire workers and work things out. Automotive News, 94(6900), B022. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=138834778&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• Suzanne Malo, who leads the DHG Dealerships Search Advisors practice, says results from a job fit assessment or personality test should make up 30 percent or less of a hiring decision. Employees wearing name badges can see other employees' strongest personality traits by color, helping them interact, he said.

Daniel, L., & Brandon, C. (2006). Finding the Right Job Fit. HR Magazine, 51(3), 62–67. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=19979768&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• This article presents tips on how to land the job that fits you. According to career experts, knowing yourself is the first step toward finding a good job fit. Every question you can think to ask yourself--and later find out about a prospective employer--puts you that much closer to being a good fit in a new job. While knowing what you want is important, it can be equally important to know what you do not want.

MÁRQUEZ, R. (2020). Facilitating Organizational Fit. TD: Talent Development, 74(5), 70–71. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=143322913&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• Learning blueprint Talent Strategy AND Management. If a company assesses for organizational fit during the interview process, then new hires will presumably well represent the company culture. Whether the new team member is a new hire or a reassigned employee, being heard is a powerfully affirming experience. CHECKLIST Familiarizing New Employees With the Company Engage managers in conversations about their vital role in fit-check activities for their new employees.

Pudjiarti, E. S., & Prihatin Tiyanto Priagung Hutomo. (2020). Innovative Work Behaviour: An Integrative Investigation of Person-Job Fit, Person-Organization Fit, and Person-Group Fit. Business: Theory & Practice, 21(1), 39–47. https://doi.org/10.3846/btp.2020.9487

• In relation to the problem of SME productivity, it is necessary to investigate whether there is a problem of mismatch between workers and work and groups and corporate cultural values. This study aims to analyze whether the concept of innovative work behavior can mediate the relationship of person-job fit, person-organization fit and person-group fit to job performance. The study was conducted in the metal SME industry in Tegal Regency, with 256 respondents. Data collection tools use questionnaires and interviews. Data analysis is done with a structural equation model. Based on the results of the analysis, there is a positive relationship between variables. This illustrates that the challenges of SMEs in the future are to maintain the best human resources to remain committed to the organization. In maintaining its existence, alignment of individual values with work, organization and groups is the best tool to achieve goals through innovative changes in employee behavior, and also to lay a solid foundation in the recruitment and selection process of new employees that have the potential to increase job performance.

Ramsey, R. D. (2013). the power of job fit alignment. Supervision, 74(7), 10–12. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=88850346&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article focuses on job fit alignment as a most important factor for employers to consider when hiring new employees. It highlights most employers' tendency to hire candidates who are the most qualified in terms of skills and knowledge. It claims that a candidate's fitness for the job is more important than credentials and skills sets on paper. It highlights the concept of motivational abilities as described by recruitment consultant SIMA International.

Tuttle, B. (2022). How Can Recruiters And HR Professionals Attract Generation Z To Fill Job Openings. HR Strategy & Planning Excellence, 10(6), 21–23. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=157729463&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article reports that the emerging workforce is made up of a new generation of workers with ideals and expectations that vary considerably compared to the retiring Baby Boomers and other generations. Generation Z has already impacted how recruiters and HR professionals attract new talent to fill job openings. If you want to recruit young talent from this generation, it may require your organization to make significant changes.

Scholarly

Burns, G. N., Christiansen, N. D., Morris, M. B., Periard, D. A., & Coaster, J. A. (2014). Effects of applicant personality on resume evaluations. Journal of Business and Psychology, 29(4), 573-591. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-014-9349-6 Purpose: This study examined the extent that personality information in resumes impacts hiring judgments through applicant’s resumes. Study 1 examined lay theories regarding relationships between resume cues and the applicant’s personality and hireability. Study 2 examined how the applicant’s personality impacted hiring judgments through resumes. Design/ Methodology/Approach: Data for both studies were collected in the context of a managerial position. For Study 1, participants assessed resume cues in regards to their relationship with personality and hireability. For Study 2, Human Resource personnel evaluated each resume in regards to personality and hireability. Findings: Results for Study 1 highlight several connections between applicants’ personality and resumes, with strong links between resume content and perceptions of conscientiousness and agreeableness. Results for Study 2 indicate that personality was largely unrelated to ratings of hireability but perceptions of personality were strongly linked to hireability; actual personality was linked to the variability in cue information related to hireability, and conscientiousness was indirectly related to hireability through judgments of conscientiousness. Implications: Results from these studies suggest that personality and perceptions of personality play a greater role in resume development and screening than has been previously suggested. The pattern of results reported suggest that there are a number of resumes cues that accurately reflect an applicant’s personality and influence perceptions of hireability. Originality/Value: By taking an exploratory approach, the current studies were able to explore a large variety of cues linked to personality and ratings of hireability. Results have implications for both applicants and HR personnel evaluating resumes.

Charney, D. H., Rayman, J., & Ferreira-Buckley, L. (1992). How writing quality influences readers judgments of résumés in business and engineering. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 6(1), 38-74. https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651992006001002

• To help students enter a professional discourse community, teachers must assess how accurately they both understand the community's discourse practices. Our research investigated how job recruiters seeking to fill positions in mechanical engineering or marketing were influenced by the quality of writing in student résumés. The résumés varied in elaboration, sentence style, mechanics, and amount of relevant work experience. The recruiters rated the résumés to indicate their willingness to interview the students. We found that recruiters in the two fields—engineering and marketing—valued quite different writing features. When we subsequently asked students in business writing and technical writing classes to rate the same résumés, we found that they underestimated the importance of various writing features. Generally, however, students' ratings resembled those of the recruiters in their respective disciplines. This study documents how students can improve their résumés and provides insight into the variations of discourse practices in professional disciplines.

 Martin-Lacroux, C., & Lacroux, A. (2017;2016;). Do employers forgive applicants’ bad spelling in résumés? Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 80(3), 321-335. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329490616671310

• Spelling deficiencies are becoming a growing concern among employers, but few studies have quantified this phenomenon and its impact on recruiters’ choice. This article aims to highlight the relative weight of the form (the spelling skills) in application forms, compared with the content (the level of work experience), in recruiters’ judgment during the selection process. The study asked 536 professional recruiters to evaluate different application forms. The results show that the presence of spelling errors has the same detrimental impact on the chances of being shortlisted as a lack of professional experience, and recruiters’ spelling skills also moderate their judgment.

 Randazzo, C. (2020). A framework for résumé decisions: Comparing applicants’ and employers’ reasons. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 83(4), 409-433. https://doi.org/10.1177/2329490620963133

• What reasons do applicants use to write résumés, and what reasons do employers use to evaluate them? This article advocates for teaching reasons as a way to empower writers to make more nuanced, adaptive résumé decisions. Drawing from a study of 63 students, 20 advisors, and 24 employers, the article touches on résumé format, sections, and items; then it moves beyond formal features to compare eight reasons that participants used as a framework in their decision making: relevance, recency, value, personality, fluff, unprofessionalism, discrimination, and applicant fit. It ends with pedagogical suggestions for teaching this framework alongside résumé formal features.

Ross, C. M., & Young, S. J. (2005). Resume preferences: Is it really “Business as usual”? Journal of Career Development, 32(2), 153-164. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845305279162

• This study examines the resume preferences of 523 recreation and leisure service professionals who interview and hire entry-level recreation professionals. Findings from this study support the fact that different occupations and disciplines require different approaches on how resume content information is presented. In the recreation and leisure services field, the job objective, grades, length, inclusion of references, and general resume design and format are different than other fields. A model resume for a business position, for example, may be of little value for individuals seeking employment in recreation and leisure service agencies. These applicants should not attempt to follow the resume requirements of other occupations. Resume content should be tailored to the preferences of the administrators reviewing the resumes and making the hiring decisions, regardless of the setting.

Shore, T., Tashchian, A., & Forrester, W. R. (2021;2020;). The influence of resume quality and ethnicity cues on employment decisions. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 22(1), 61-76. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2020.13670

• This study examined the effects of resume writing quality and ethnicity cues on employment decisions. Prior research on resume quality is scant and no prior studies have examined the role of both resume quality and ethnicity on employment decisions. Participants reviewed a fictitious resume (error-laden or error-free) of a Black, Hispanic or White candidate for the job of Sales Manager. Applicants with error-laden resumes were less likely to be interviewed, hired, offered lower starting salaries and rated lower on job-related traits than applicants with error-free resumes. Although ethnicity did not affect the likelihood of getting interviewed or hired, White applicants were offered higher salaries and rated higher on several job-related traits than Black and Hispanic job applicants. Furthermore, Black applicants with error-free resumes received over 6% less in starting salary than White applicants with error-laden resumes. A practical implication of these findings is that applicants should ensure that their resume contains no spelling, grammatical or typographical errors. These results also suggest that non-White job applicants need job qualifications that exceed those of White applicants to achieve pay equity. This paper provides further evidence for and enhances understanding of implicit race bias toward non-White job applicants.

Smith, A. B., & Berg, M. D. (2020). Business professionals' rankings of applicants' résumés: Updated considerations for résumé instruction. Journal of Business Strategies, 37(1), 49-74. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.umiss.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/business-professionals-rankings-applicants/docview/2508650174/se-2?accountid=14588

• The standard recommendations for the design and content of an effective résumé have held mostly constant since the mid-1990s. Within these standard guidelines, this study investigates which aspects of effective résumés influence hiring professionals' evaluations of equally qualified candidates in order to update and strengthen business professors' résumé instruction in order to improve business students' résumés. Based on an analysis of 45 business professionals' rankings of ten sample résumés and 21 interviews, this study finds that targeted internships and chronological organization positively influence a résumé reviewer's evaluation.

Practitioner

Bahler, K. (2018). Delete This From Your Résumé Now! Money, 47(6), 20. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=130507726&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article offers job hunting tips, particularly how to make an effective resume that increases one's chances of getting hired by employers. According to digital marketing agency Laxir founder Ben Guez, applicants should think of skills that will be useful for the position they are applying for. Also cited are the tips from career consultant Carlota Zimmerman, communication expert Andrew Selepak, and professional resume writer Kelly Donovan.

Bortz, D. (2021). What Your Hr Resume Should Look Like After the Pandemic. HR Magazine, 66(2), 85–87. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=150702036&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article offers advice for human resources (HR) personnel concerning updating resumes following the COVID-19 pandemic, which include emphasizing crisis management skills, employee retention, and digital collaboration. The article also recommends descriptions of overcoming challenges in the workplace, and including keywords that resonate with particular employers.

D. B. (2021). 6 Resume Do’s and Don’ts. HR Magazine, 66(2), 86. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=150702037&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article offers advice for job seekers who are updating resumes including keeping the resume to one page, which font to use, and avoiding quantifying professional achievements.

Heifetz, J. (2017). Writing Your Résumé When Your Job Title Doesn’t Reflect Your Responsibilities. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–6. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=123285442&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• This article offers tips for adapting your resume to the specific position you are applying.

Heifetz, J. (2016). Improve Your Résumé by Turning Bullet Points into Stories. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–6. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=118686122&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article offers tips for job applicants on improving their résumé and LinkedIn profile such as telling compelling before-and-after stories on how they contributed to the improvement of their organizations and adding detailed bullet points.

Scholarly

Alexander, E. C., Mader, D. R. D., & Mader, F. H. (2019). Using social media during the hiring process: A comparison between recruiters and job seekers. Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science, 29(1), 78-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/21639159.2018.1552530

• A large majority of organizations and those seeking employment maintain at least one, if not several, social media pages; consequently, social media is being used more frequently in the job search and employee recruiting processes. The use of social media as a source of information may become increasingly important as recruiters, and job seekers alike, learn how to effectively use social media in the search process, leading to sustainable hiring practices. This study evaluates the difference in recruiters and job seeker’s rating of social media activities, content type, and usefulness. In most cases, significant differences were found between recruiters and job seekers. In general, recruiters rated questionable social media more negatively and job seekers were less positive in regards to content that might be beneficial to the job search, revealing a disconnect between the two groups. This disconnect could have an impact on job seekers finding employment and organizations finding qualified, acceptable employees.

Baert, S. (2018). Facebook profile picture appearance affects recruiters’ first hiring decisions. New Media & Society, 20(3), 1220-1239. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444816687294

• We investigate whether the publicly available information on Facebook about job applicants affects employers’ hiring decisions. To this end, we conduct a field experiment in which fictitious job applications are sent to real job openings in Belgium. The only characteristic in which these candidates differ is the unique Facebook profile that can be found online with their name. Candidates with the most beneficial Facebook picture obtain approximately 38% more job interview invitations compared to candidates with the least beneficial picture. In addition, we find suggestive evidence for a higher effect of Facebook profile picture appearance on hiring chances when candidates are highly educated and when recruiters are female.

Becton, J. B., Walker, H. J., Gilstrap, J. B., & Schwager, P. H. (2019). Social media snooping on job applicants: The effects of unprofessional social media information on recruiter perceptions. Personnel Review, 48(5), 1261-1280. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-09-2017-0278

• Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how HR professionals use social networking website information to evaluate applicants’ propensity to engage in counterproductive work behaviors and suitability for hire. Design/methodology/approach: Using an experimental design, 354 HR professionals participated in a two-part study. In part 1, participants viewed a fictitious resume and rated the applicant’s likelihood to engage in counterproductive work behavior as well as likelihood of a hiring recommendation. In part 2, participants viewed a fictitious social networking website profile for the applicant and repeated the ratings from part 1. The authors analyzed their responses to determine the effect viewing a social network website (SNW) profile had on ratings of the applicant. Findings: Unprofessional SNW information negatively affected ratings of applicants regardless of applicants’ qualifications, while professional SNW profile information failed to improve evaluations regardless of qualifications. Originality/value: Anecdotal reports suggest that many employers use SNW information to eliminate job applicants from consideration despite an absence of empirical research that has examined how SNW content influences HR recruiters’ evaluation of job applicants. This study represents one of the first attempts to understand how HR professionals use such information in screening applicants. The findings suggest that unprofessional SNW profiles negatively influence recruiter evaluations while professional SNW profile content has little to no effect on evaluations.

Zhang, L., Van Iddekinge, C. H., Arnold, J. D., Roth, P. L., Lievens, F., Lanivich, S. E., & Jordan, S. L. (2020). What's on job seekers' social media sites? A content analysis and effects of structure on recruiter judgments and predictive validity. Journal of Applied Psychology, 105(12), 1530-1546. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000490

• Many organizational representatives review social media (SM) information (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) when recruiting and assessing job applicants. Despite this, very little empirical data exist concerning the SM information available to organizations or whether assessments of such information are a valid predictor of work outcomes. This multistudy investigation examines several critical issues in this emerging area. In Study 1, we conducted a content analysis of job seekers’ Facebook sites (n = 266) and found that these sites often provide demographic variables that U.S. employment laws typically prohibit organizations from using when making personnel decisions (e.g., age, ethnicity, and religion), as well as other personal information that is not work-related (e.g., sexual orientation, marital status). In Study 2 (n = 140), we examined whether job seekers’ SM information is related to recruiter evaluations. Results revealed that various types of SM information correlated with recruiter judgments of hireability, including demographic variables (e.g., gender, marital status), variables organizations routinely assess (e.g., education, training, and skills), and variables that may be a concern to organizations (e.g., profanity, sexual behavior). In Study 3 (n = 81), we examined whether structuring SM assessments (e.g., via rater training) affects criterion-related validity. Results showed that structuring SM assessments did not appear to improve the prediction of future job performance or withdrawal intentions. Overall, the present findings suggest that organizations should be cautious about assessing SM information during the staffing process.

Practitioner

Cuadra, D. (2021). The future of recruiting: Social media and AI tech go hand in hand. Ebn.Benefitsnews.Com, N.PAG. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=152843768&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• In a job-seeker market, it may be time for recruiters to let go of job boards and meet talent where they are: on social media.

Fernando, A. (2008). The social media résumé. Communication World, 25(4), 8–9. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=37360046&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article presents information on the innovation of making résumé through social media networking. It discusses the opinion of employment recruiters about traditional résumé. It explores the format and content of a social media résumé. It describes the concept of data cloud that makes up a social media résumé.

Foreman, B. (2016). Nice to (digitally) Meet You. Baylor Business Review, 22–23. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=114487676&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article discusses the importance of the used of social media on recruitments. Recruiters uses this as part of their hiring process through online networking such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to initiate and sustain professional relationships. It also helps job seekers on finding the right jobs.
   

Guerrero, A. (2013). Getting Social for a Job Interview. U.S. News Digital Weekly, 5(5), 20. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=85271826&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article offers suggestions for job applicants on how to use a company's social media presence, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter pages, to boost their job search. It suggests to follow a company page and to scan it in advance of the interview and recommends to join a group to mine information about the firm. It also advises to study the employer's work culture on Twitter and to engage recruiters and capitalize on a friend-based referral on Facebook.
   

Hori, R. (2012). Cleaning Up Your Social Media Presence. Bloomberg.Com, 5. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=78326495&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article focuses on social media for its proper use in job-seeking and creating effective profiles. The author stated that recruiters use social media tools for checking the prospective employees and conducting interviews. The candidate should present a positive impression along with important information on tools like LinkedIn Corp., Facebook Inc. and others from hiring perspective.

Smith, J. (2013). How Social Media Can Help (Or Hurt) You In Your Job Search. Forbes.Com, 16. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=87081939&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article offers helpful tips for getting a job through the social media as to the way hiring managers and recruiters use them to learn about job applicants. According to a CareerBuilder.com survey of 2,303 human resource professionals, 37% of employers are using social networks to screen job candidates saying they offer jobs to those who present themselves professionally. It also notes being consistent in highlighting qualifications and accomplishments in Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.

Would you snoop on a candidate’s social media? (2016). People Management, 14. http://umiss.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=117286396&site=ehost-live&scope=site

• The article discusses the growing trend among recruiters who browse the social media accounts of employment candidates through applications such as Charlie and Crystal Knows and the soon to launch Recruit Assured. Topics discussed include the popularity of personality and social-based recruitment, the removal of the human element, and the inefficacy of using the social media site Facebook as part of a job application process.