THE RELATIONSHIP OF RECRUITING SOURCE TO APPLICANT QUALITY AND SUBSEQUENT NEW-HIRE SUCCESS CONTROLLING FOR ETHNICITY, SEX AND AGE OF THE APPLICANT
Abstract
This study investigated both an applicant pool and its resulting class of new hires in an attempt to clarify a number of empirical questions concerning recruiting source effectiveness. The primary objectives of this research were to explore the prescreening hypothesis as an explanation for the effectiveness of informal recruiting sources and to determine if recruiting source effectiveness differed between males and females, non-minorities, Hispanics, and Blacks, or those under 40 years of old and those 40 years or older. A pre-established database of applicants and hires for the job of life insurance agent in a large insurance company were analyzed separately for two years of recruiting activity. The prescreening hypothesis received support when differences in applicant quality, as measured by score on an in-use selection test, the Background Questionnaire, were found in favor of the informal recruiting sources. These recruiting source differences were carried over into the hire sample where informal recruiting sources yielded hires who survived longer than individuals recruited via formal means. A second measure of hire success, new business commission credits, failed to show differences across the recruiting sources. However, data restrictions rendered this measure available for only a subset of hires which may have contributed to its non-significant findings. Selection ratios and frequency of applicant use were also investigated across the recruiting source. The informal sources yielded significantly higher selection ratios than did formal sources. No group differences were found when measuring applicant quality, hire survival or selection ratios. However, the examination of recruiting source use showed significant group differences. Females and Blacks used the formal recruiting sources to a much greater extent than did males and non-minorities/Hispanics. These major findings were found to be consistent over the two years studied giving support to the stability of recruiting source as a measure of applicant and hire effectiveness. While suggesting that informal recruiting sources yield higher quality applicants and more successful hires, the research also cautions that the implementation of revised recruiting policies must be carefully monitored for adverse effects on protected groups.
Subject Area
Psychological tests
Recommended Citation
KIRNAN, JEAN POWELL, "THE RELATIONSHIP OF RECRUITING SOURCE TO APPLICANT QUALITY AND SUBSEQUENT NEW-HIRE SUCCESS CONTROLLING FOR ETHNICITY, SEX AND AGE OF THE APPLICANT" (1986). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8615714.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8615714
