Between Meritocracy and Ethnic Discrimination: The Gender Difference

Using a two stage correspondence test methodology, this study tests employer priors against job-applicants with Arabic names compared to job-applicants with Swedish names. In the first stage, employers are sent CVs of equal observable quality. Thereafter, in the second stage, the CVs with Arabic names are given an advantage of, on average, two more years of relevant work experience. This setup allows us to test the strength of unfavorable priors against job-applicants with Arabic names and to what degree these priors are revised, on average, when resumes are enhanced. Results indicate no significant differences in call-backs for female applicants when CVs with Arabic names are enhanced. The call-back gap for men however remains large and significant despite a positive adjustment of CVs with Arabic names. This implies that negative priors against male job applicants with Arabic names are not revised by an increase in observable merits.correspondence testing, ethnic discrimination, biased testing, gender

Between Meritocracy and Ethnic Discrimination: The Gender Difference

Using a two stage correspondence test methodology, this study tests employer priors against job-applicants with Arabic names compared to job-applicants with Swedish names. In the first stage, employers are sent CVs of equal observable quality. Thereafter, in the second stage, the CVs with Arabic names are given an advantage of, on average, two more years of relevant work experience. This setup allows us to test the strength of unfavorable priors against job-applicants with Arabic names and to what degree these priors are revised, on average, when resumes are enhanced. Results indicate no significant differences in call-backs for female applicants when CVs with Arabic names are enhanced. The call-back gap for men however remains large and significant despite a positive adjustment of CVs with Arabic names. This implies that negative priors against male job applicants with Arabic names are not revised by an increase in observable merits.Correspondence Testing; Ethnic Discrimination; Biased Testing; Gender

You are not worth the risk: Lawful discrimination in hiring

Increasing empirical research on productivity supports the use of statistical or ‘rational’ discrimination in hiring. The practice is legal for features of job applicants not covered by human rights discrimination laws, such as being a smoker, residing in a particular neighbourhood or being a particular height. The practice appears largely morally innocuous under existing philosophical accounts of wrongful discrimination. This paper argues that lawful statistical discrimination treats job applicants in a way that may be considered degrading, and is likely to constrain people’s freedoms in relation to employment, thus giving us reason for moral concern

Making the Right Impression: An Exploratory Study of Job Applicants\u27 Social Networking Sites

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether job applicants manipulated their Facebook pages for employment purposes and the specific characteristics on their pages that were purposely altered to attract potential employers. A total of 50 interviewees participated in the study. Results indicated that job applicants did manipulate their Facebook pages for employment purposes for various reasons with the most common reason being to avoid misperceptions by potential employers. Another goal of this study was to examine job applicant beliefs on employer and job applicant use of Facebook for employment purposes. The study results indicated that job applicants supported as well as opposed employers\u27 use of Facebook to make employment decisions. Conversely, the majority of the job applicants who were interviewed were in support of job applicants manipulating Facebook pages for employment purposes because they were trying to present the best image to potential employers. Given the findings of the study, organizations need to be aware that the information they find on Facebook might not be accurate representations of job applicants and they should not rely on Facebook to determine whether job applicants are qualified to perform a job

Transgender Need Not Apply: A Report on Gender Identity Job Discrimination

Make the Road New York investigated possible employment discrimination against transgender job-seekers in Manhattan's retail sector using the research tool of matched pair testing. We sent out carefully matched pairs of job applicants, one transgender and one not, to apply for the same jobs. Each pair was equivalent in age and ethnicity and equipped with fictionalized resumes that were evenly matched. Both testing pairs underwent extensive training on how to adopt similar interview styles and how to document their job-seeking interactions objectively. Transgender testers were instructed to explicitly inform store managers and interviewers of their transgender status whenever feasible.Our research revealed an astonishingly high degree of employment discrimination against our transgender job applicants

Can being gay provide a boost in the hiring process? Maybe if the boss is female

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to investigate whether men and women differentially prefer hiring gay and lesbian job applicants relative to equally qualified heterosexual job applicants. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from two samples of non-student participants. Each participant evaluated the perceived hirability of an ostensibly real job applicant by reviewing the applicant’s resume. In reality, all participants were randomly assigned to evaluate the same fictitious resume that differed only in the gender and sexual orientation of the applicant. Findings – We find that men perceived gay and lesbian job applicants as less hirable, while women perceived gay and lesbian job applicants as more hirable than heterosexual job applicants. Additionally, we show perceptions of hirability are mediated by perceptions of gay and lesbian job applicants’ competence. Implications – These results show that bias against gays and lesbians is much more nuanced than previous work suggests. One implication is that placing more women in selection roles within organizations could be a catalyst for the inclusion of gay and lesbian employees. Additionally, these results could influence when and how gays and lesbians disclose their gay identities at work. Originality/value –These studies are the first to identify a positive bias in favor of gay and lesbian job applicants. As attitudes toward gays and lesbians become more positive, results like these are important to document as they signal a shift in intergroup relations. These results will also help managers and organizations design selection processes to minimize bias towards applicants. Keywords: gender, sexual orientation, selection, bia

Interviewer Assessments of Applicant Fit : An Exploratory Investigation

Although both strategic management theorists and practicing recruiters endorse selecting applicants on the basis of fit, precise delineation of fit in a selection context remains elusive. Moreover, the majority of previous work in this area has been based on anecdotes, case studies, or prescriptions rather than empirical evidence. The present investigation examines interviewers\u27 assessments of job applicants in terms of both general and firm-specific employability (i.e., fit). Results suggest that (1) assessments of general employability differ from firm-specific assessments, (2) there is a firm-specific component to interviewers\u27 evaluations of job applicants, and (3) interpersonal skills, goal orientation, and physical attractiveness contribute to assessments of fit (holding general employability constant), while objective qualifications (e.g., grade point average, extracurricular offices, years experience) do not. Suggestions for future research are offered

Competition between employed and unemployed job applicants: Swedish evidence

We use the Swedish Job Applicant Database to empirically investigate whether being unemployed per se reduces the probability to get contacted by a firm. This database contains personal characteristics and preferences over the type of job the applicant wants to find. The data is submitted both by employed and unemployed workers over the Internet by the applicants themselves. This means that we have access to exactly the same information as firms have when they choose whom to contact. Our results show that an unemployed applicant faces a lower probability to get contacted by a firm than an otherwise identical employed applicant, thus supporting the claim that firms view employment status as an important signal for productivity.Employed and unemployed job seekers; discrimination

A psychological study of the relationship between personality assessment for selection and change in self-perception : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

The use of personality assessments in employee selection is a growing global trend. However, there are numerous controversies in the literature regarding its utility and potential impacts. In addition, many of the ways in which personality assessments are being used in selection are neither aligned with research evidence, nor constrained by a code of ethics or extensive training. The selection process itself is not focused on the wellbeing on job applicants. This is one possible reason why little to no research has investigated the potential effects of personality assessment for selection on job applicants’ self-perception. A review of the literature reveals several possible mechanisms for occupational personality assessment as an antecedent to change in self-perception, including positive and negative events, induced behaviour and biased scanning, and response construction. This thesis investigates the relationship between the assessment of an individual’s personality, and change to that individual’s self-perception, across two independent sub-projects. In Sub-project A, self-perception was assessed for a group of job applicants before and after completion of a personality assessment within a selection process. In Sub-project B, self-perception was assessed for a group of students before and after completion of a personality assessment and receipt of a written results/feedback report. The findings for both sub-projects demonstrate evidence of change to self-perception and support for personality assessment for selection as an antecedent to change in self-perception. Possible explanations for these results are examined in relation to the mechanisms listed above. The limitations of the current studies are discussed and avenues for future research are recommended. Sub-projects A and B represent a unique contribution to the literature in relation to both personality assessment in organisational settings, and self-perception change

The Impact of Employment Discrimination on Job Search Performance

This study is to explore the impact of perceived employment discrimination on job search performance. Based on the trait activation theory, this article proposes that people’s perceived employment discrimination when searching jobs online has a direct effect on job search performance, moderated by self-efficacy of job applicants. A total of 97 valid questionnaires were collected in this study. Through data analysis, we have concluded that the perceived impact of employment discrimination on job search performance is significantly negatively correlated, and job applicants’ self-efficacy is not significant. Such results have implications for the human resource managers and job applicants to adopt positive attitudes to deal with the possible facing discrimination generated during searching a job in the internet era