Designing Personable and Informative Job Recruiting Web Sites: Testing the Effect of the Design on Attractiveness and Intent to Apply

Abstract

To date, most of the limited research conducted about the efficacy of corporate job recruiting web sites has been either anecdotal or based on field surveys. In this study, the effects of using a photograph, a friendly text message, and a list of job tasks in job descriptions were measured on undergraduates' ratings of the Personableness and Informativeness of recruiting web sites. In addition, the relationships between ratings of Personableness and Informativeness on perceptions of organizational Attractiveness and Intent to Apply were tested. Use of a photograph increased ratings of both Personableness and Informativeness. Additional results are provided and directions for research suggested.