The Effectiveness of Recruitment Advertisements and Recruitment Websites: Indirect and Interactive Effects on Applicant Attraction

Abstract

This study compares the effect of printed recruitment advertisements and recruitment websites on applicant attraction and shows how these recruitment activities interact with one another. Our results indicate that websites have a significantly stronger impact on applicant attraction than printed advertisements. We show that websites and printed recruitment advertisements have an indirect effect on applicant attraction that is mediated by employer knowledge. Furthermore, printed advertisements supplement the positive effects of websites and, thus, the simultaneous use of multiple recruitment activities directly influences applicant attraction. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.