4 Internet Job Hunting

8/14/2019 4 Internet Job Hunting

1/18


2/18

176 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Summer 2002

Furthermore, the Internet is clearly be-ginning to cut into other types of employmentadvertising revenues. During the past fiveyears, expenditures on newspaper advertise-ments and headhunter retainer fees havedropped 20% as Internet advertising revenueshave increased (Boehle, 2000; Quick, 1998).As dramatic as the rise in Internet recruitinghas been in recent years, far greater is thepotential for more widespread changes in theyears ahead (Useem, 1999).

The present article presents the results of afield study that examines how the Internet af-fects applicants job hunting behavior, the fac-tors that influence how much individuals usethe Internet to look for jobs, and the aspects ofon-line recruiting perceived as most user-friendlyand user-hostile to potential job candidates. Thearticle concludes with recommendations on howorganizations might improve and expand theiron-line recruiting capabilities.

Theory

Internet Fluency

The first question that the present article ad-dresses is whether Internet fluency (i.e., fa-miliarity and competence in Internetnavigation and Web surfing) itself influencesthe extent of a candidates job hunting. Re-cent research suggests that cognitive abilityand personality characteristics are related to job-search behavior, perhaps because thosevariables are related to perceptions regardingthe availability of attractive job opportunitiesand the likelihood of ultimately obtaining ajob offer (Boudreau, Boswell, Judge, & Bretz,2001). We argue that Internet fluency willaffect job search behavior because it is alsolikely to affect perceptions regarding job op-portunities and the likelihood of obtaining anoffer. Since the Internet offers easy access toinformation about career opportunities, thoseindividuals who are more Internet fluent maybe more likely to see such information.

Exposure to information about alternative job opportunities (e.g., similar positions inother firms paying considerably more money)may prompt even further job search behavior.Indeed, active Internet users may be more

likely to receive unsolicited feelers or joboffers. Some computer-savvy recruiters nowcan gain access to resumes posted on othercompanies job boards. Other on-line recruit-ers engage in Web flipping (i.e., accessingother companies Web directories) and Weblurking (i.e., entering job-related Internetnews groups and e-forums) to find potentiallyinterested job candidates (Boehle, 2000;Starcke, 1996). Thus, the likelihood of beingcontacted from potential suitors is greater forindividuals with high Internet fluency.

Furthermore, although job hunting is sig-nificantly related to job dissatisfaction (Dalton& Todor, 1993), this relationship is attenu-ated by exit costs (Bretz, Boudreau, & Judge,1994; Kopelman, Rovenpor, & Millsap, 1992).That is, dissatisfied employees might not seekemployment elsewhere because they do nothave the time or resources to search for an-other job (e.g., Dickter, Roznowiski, &Harrison, 1996; Herman, 1973; Hirschman,1970; Rusbult, Farrell, Rogers, & Mainus,1988; Turnley & Feldman, 1999). For example,the Internet allows individuals to gain quickand easy access to information on a wide rangeof job possibilities twenty-four hours a day,seven days a week, thereby resolving poten-tial conflicts between employees current jobresponsibilities and the time demands associ-ated with active job hunting (Maher, 2000;Silverman, 2000). Internet job hunting alsogives employees the opportunity to look forjobs without taking any visible or public ac-tion, thereby enabling individuals wanting toexit their current jobs to do so without incur-ring the wrath of supervisors displeased withopen or tangible acts of disloyalty. Also, forsome job seekers, Internet job hunting servesas a means of eliminating or lessening theamount of interpersonal awkwardness associ-ated with selling oneself or soliciting job of-fers in person (Leonard, 2000).

P1: Level of Internet fluency will be posi-

tively associated with effort expended in jobhunting.

Type of Job Desired/Scope of Job Search

The second question that this research ad-

Indeed, activeInternet users

may be morelikely to receive

unsolicitedfeelers or joboffers.


3/18

Internet Job Hunting 177

dresses is whether the type of job desired orthe scope of the job search influences the ex-tent to which individuals use the Internet forjob searching. The factors considered here aregeographical scope of the search, number offunctional areas and industries beingsearched, the size of firm desired, the level ofsupervisory responsibility desired, and the sal-ary increase desired.

Proposition 2a suggests that when thescope of the job search is broad, potential job seekers will be more likely to use theInternet to locate job opportunities. Whilea broad job search typically requires moreeffort in general, Internet job searchingmay be particularly useful in such circum-stances. Although Internet job searchingmay be inefficient (relative to following lo-cal newspaper ads) if a candidate is look-ing for jobs only in one city, Internetsearching may be much more efficientwhen looking for jobs region-wide, nation-wide, or globally (Laabs, 1998). Similarly,when individuals are willing to consider jobs in a number of functional areas andin a wide spectrum of firms differing in in-dustry and size, Internet job hunting islikely to be perceived as a more time-effi-cient search strategy (Hays, 1999).

P2a: The broader the scope of the job

search (in terms of geography, job func-

tions, industries, and firm size), the morelikely individuals will be to use the Internet

for job hunting.

The Internet may also be more effectivefor locating some kinds of jobs over others(Proposition 2b). For example, firms may usethe Internet more extensively to look for jun-ior and mid-level candidates than for seniorexecutives. Managers at the higher levels oforganizations may respond more positively toprolonged relationship building and beingpersonally courted by potential employers;executives may also have greater concernsabout confidential information regarding their job hunting reaching their CEOs (Boehle,2000; Quick, 1998). Because it is more diffi-cult to find jobs that offer very large pay raises,individuals looking for sizeable compensationincreases may also turn more readily to the

Internet to access a more extensive set of po-tential job opportunities (Zall, 2000).

P2b: Individuals are more likely to use the

Internet for job hunting: (a) to obtain jun-ior and mid-level positions and (b) to ob-

tain very large pay increases over their cur-

rent salaries.

Technology Problems in Web Searches

As efficient as Web surfing may be for jobhunting purposes, several recent articles havepointed out difficulties that Internet job seek-ers encounter in their searches and the less-than-universal satisfaction with on-linerecruiting (Capelli, 2001; Conhaim, 1998;Kay, 2000). Some of these problems are re-lated to the technology itself: difficultiesfinding companies Web pages, poor links be-tween general job boards like Monster.comand company Web sites, poor quality graph-ics, and difficulties in navigating through acompanys Web page. Another major problemin this area appears to be the difficulty ofreformatting and submitting resumes to vari-ous Web pages specifications (Farris &Dumas, 1999; Useem, 1999).

Network Problems in Web Searches

Other problems originate from network diffi-culties. These concerns include anxiety aboutthe privacy of information submitted, site shut-downs, lack of access to Web sites during nor-mal business hours or off-hours, and inabilityto download information in a readable format.A more minor problem here can be the costs ofposting resumes and downloading informationand applications (Hays, 1999; Quick, 1998).

Web Content and Recruiting Practices

A third set of problems Internet job seekersencounter derives from the actual content ofmaterial on Web sites and companies feed-back and follow-up procedures. For example,applicants have complained that they cannotaccess relevant information on specific jobdescriptions, job specifications, salary ranges,geographic locations of job, and travel require-

Some of theseproblems arerelated to thetechnology itself:difficulties

findingcompanies Web

pages, poor links

between generaljob boards likeMonster.com andcompany Web

sites, poorquality graphics,and difficultiesin navigatingthrough acompanys Web

page.


4/18


ments. Others have reported difficulties inreceiving acknowledgment of applications,getting feedback on the status of their appli-cations, and contacting a specific companyrepresentative for a follow-up conversation(Charles, 2000; Martinez, 2000; Zall, 2000).

In a more exploratory fashion, then, thisstudy also examines the perceived effective-ness of Internet job hunting, problems en-countered while using the Web in job searches,and satisfaction with on-line recruiting prac-tices. Both quantitative and qualitative dataare used to explore these issues.

Methods

Sample

Data were collected from graduate businessschool alumni of a large university in theSoutheast. Surveys with stamped return en- velopes were sent to all MBA graduatesfrom the last six years classes. Respondentswere not asked for their names and werepromised confidentiality. A total of 755surveys were mailed; of these, 722 were de-liverable. Two hundred fifty-six surveyswere returned, for a response rate of 35%.Respondents came from 28 states, rangingfrom New Hampshire to California; 51%of respondents came from Southeasternstates and 49% came from other regions ofthe country.

The sample was 71% male and 29% fe-male. Thirty-four percent of the respondentshad been day MBA students; 66% of the re-spondents had been evening MBA students.Sixteen percent of respondents had been mar-keting majors; 28% had been finance and ac-counting majors; 21% had been generalmanagement, HR, or strategy majors; and 35%had been operations, production, or informa-tion technology majors. These figures closelyparallel population statistics, with no signifi-cant differences observed.

Twenty-nine percent of the sample wasunder age 30; 33% were between ages 30 and34; 22% were between ages 35 and 39; 16%were age 40 or older. The average respondenthad 10.6 years of full-time work experience atthe time of data collection (SD = 6.7).

Job Characteristics and Job Attitudes

Participants in the study were asked to indi-cate their current functional areas and theindustries in which they worked. Thirty-threepercent of the sample worked in engineering,computer science, and operations; 24%worked in finance, banking, or insurance; 25%worked in marketing, sales, or e-commerce;and 18% worked in other functional areas,such as HR and general management. Theindustries in which participants were most fre-quently employed were heavy manufacturing(31% of the sample), high tech, electronics,and telecommunications (19% of the sample),and banking and financial services (17% of thesample). Sixteen percent of the sample earnedless than $50,000; 34% of the sample madebetween $50,000 and $70,000; 19% madebetween $70,000 and $100,000; 15% madeover $100,000.

All participants in the study completed twoscales on their attitudes toward their currentjobs. The first scale was an eight-item job sat-isfaction measure (Taylor & Bowers, 1972).Using five-point responses, the scale has amean of 3.64 (SD = 0.87); the alpha for thescale is .89. The second scale was the con-tinuance commitment scale, originally devel-oped by Meyer and Allen (1984) andsubsequently refined by McGee and Ford(1987). The six-item scale had a mean of 3.21(SD = 0.85), with an alpha of 0.85.

Job Search Behaviors and Strategies

Participants were asked four Likert itemsabout their level of job hunting over the pastthree months. These items come fromBegley and Czajka (1993); a sample item is:Over the last three months, I have activelylooked for another job. On a five-pointscale, the mean was 1.89 (SD = 1.23); thealpha was .96.

Respondents were then asked additionalquestions about the extent of their job searchactivity and their search strategies. Amongthose who had engaged in at least some jobsearch behavior over the past three months,the average respondent had been looking fora job for seventeen weeks (SD = 24) and hadspent an average of 7.23 hours per week pur-

Respondentscame from 28

states, ranging

from NewHampshire toCalifornia.


5/18


suing job leads (SD = 9.48). This last figure isconsistent with a recent study by Farris andDumas (1999), who report that the average job hunter spends an average of five to sixhours each week actually looking for work.

Alumni were also asked several questionsabout the focus and scope of their jobsearches. Respondents were asked open-endedquestions about the functional areas and in-dustries targeted in their job searches. Thenumber of functional areas and the numberof industries were then counted. For bothquestions, the modal response was one andthe maximum response was three. Respon-dents were also asked to indicate the geo-graphical scope of their job search. Fifty-sevenpercent of the sample were looking for a jobwithin their present city or state; 28% werefocusing on a particular geographical region;14% were looking nationwide and/or overseas.

Three other attributes of target jobs weremeasured as well. Respondents indicated thesize of the firm they would like to work for.Nineteen percent preferred to work for smallfirms, 18% preferred medium-sized firms, 23%preferred large firms, and 40% had no sizepreference. Participants also indicated thelevel of supervisory responsibility they wouldprefer. Fifteen percent preferred no directsupervision; 30% preferred direct supervisory jobs; 42% were looking for middle manage-ment positions; 14% were looking for seniormanagement positions.

In addition, respondents indicated thepercent salary increase they were looking forin a new job. Twenty-six percent were look-ing for a salary increase of less than 10%;45% were seeking an 1120% salary increase;19% were looking for a 2130% increase; 4%were looking for a 3140% pay increase; and6% were looking for a pay increase of greaterthan 40%.

Internet and Web Job Search Activity

Participants in the study who were looking forjobs were asked a variety of questions abouttheir experiences using the Web for job search-ing. Respondents indicated how many hoursthey searched for jobs on the Internet (X =2.88, SD = 4.50) and how many Web sitesthey had logged on to (X = 10.22, SD = 21.17).

Respondents were then asked which three sitesthey most frequently visited. The typical re-spondent searched both general Web sites likeMonster.com and a variety of specific sites.Because the average respondent used ten Websites and a combination of both general andspecific sites, the number of Web sites visitedwas used in subsequent analyses.

As a measure of Internet fluency, all re-spondents were asked how many hours theyused a computer for e-mailing friends, play-ing computer games, and other non-work-related purposes each week (X = 4.08, SD= 5.17). Alumni also completed a Likertscale, new to this research, on their satis-faction with using the Web for job hunt-ing. The scale contained six items relatedto Internet job searching (e.g., the abilityto obtain general information about indus-tries or companies of interest). Responsesranged from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (verysatisfied). The mean was 3.18 (SD = 0.59);the alpha was .73.

Qualitative Data

Finally, respondents were asked three sets ofopen-ended questions about their job searchactivities, particularly about their experiencesjob hunting via the Internet: (1) What strat-egies have you found most effective in get-ting promising job leads and job offers? Leasteffective? Why? (2) What aspects of job hunt-ing using the Web have you found most help-ful or satisfying? Least helpful or satisfying?Why? (3) What specific changes would youlike companies to make in their on-line re-cruiting to make job hunting more applicant-friendly? Responses from applicants weretabulated in simple count variables. Since ap-plicants often listed more than one item perquestion asked, the total number of com-ments sometimes exceeds the total numberof survey participants.

Results

The results for each of the major researchquestions examined here are presented, inturn, below. We begin with the relationshipbetween Internet fluency and level of job hunt-ing activity.

Participants inthe study who

were looking forjobs were askeda variety ofquestions abouttheir experiences

using the Webfor jobsearching.


6/18


Is Internet Fluency Associated with Level ofJob Hunting?

The results of the regression analysis address-ing this question appear in Table I. The de-pendent variable here is extent of active jobhunting. Besides the Internet fluency score,several variables that have previously beenfound to influence job search activity(Boudreau et al., 2001; Bretz et al., 1994) wereincluded as well: job satisfaction, continu-ance commitment, gender, salary, industry(five dummy variables), and years since gradu-ation. (Since years since graduation and ageare correlated at the .001 level and years sincegraduation is a linear rather than a categori-cal variable, years since graduation is used asthe independent variable here.)

Not surprisingly, the results suggest thatindividuals with low job satisfaction and com-mitment are more likely to expend effort jobhunting. In contrast, years since graduation,gender, and industry are not related to amountof job hunting.

As predicted, however, level of Internetfluency is significantly related to the degreeof job hunting. That is, the more comfort-able individuals are with surfing the Internet,the more likely they are to enter the job mar-ket, even if it is in a just looking around

mode at the beginning. It is also possible that,over time, the more extensively individualsjob hunt, the more comfortable they becomewith Internet searching. Proposition 1, then,is supported.

Are Type and Scope of Job Search Related toInternet Job Hunting?

The next set of analyses examine whetherthe type of job preferred and the scope ofthe job search are closely associated withthe degree of Internet job hunting in whichparticipants engaged. A series of regressionswere run to investigate these relationships.The dependent variable in these analyseswas hours spent using the Internet for jobhunting. The independent variables were:(1) geographical scope of the job search; (2)number of functional areas of interest; (3)number of industries of interest; (4) prefer-ences for firm size; (5) level of supervisoryresponsibility sought; and (6) percent sal-ary increase desired. In addition, hours spentsearching for jobs through non-Internetbased means and Internet fluency wereadded into each equation as control vari-ables; in each case, both control variableswere also significant. The full results ofthese analyses appear in Table II.

Intercept 3.819 0.400 9.79 .0001Years sincegraduation 0.030 0.046 0.66 .2548Gender 0.204 0.177 1.15 .1253Job Satis. 0.388 0.099 3.91 .0001Commitment 0.191 0.104 1.83 .0347Salary 0.007 0.039 0.18 .8594

Industry 1 0.123 0.226 0.54 .2938Industry 2 0.137 0.218 0.63 .2658Industry 3 0.132 0.310 0.43 .3347Industry 4 0.283 0.311 0.91 .1824Industry 5 0.118 0.210 0.56 .2881Internetfluency 0.023 0.014 1.63 .0500

IV Parameter Estimate Standard Error T-Value Sig.

R2: .20

DV: Extent of Job Search Activity(High score = More hours searching)

TABLE I Internet Fluency and Job Hunting


7/18


TABLE II Type and Scope of Job Desired and Level of Web Searching

DV: Hours spent on Internet job search


Intercept 0.921 0.783 1.18 .1211Hrs. SearchNon-WebMeans 0.617 0.278 2.22 .0001

Internet fluency 0.188 0.065 2.88 .0025GeographicalScope 0.359 0.058 6.13 .0144

R2: .386


Internet fluency 0.176 0.067 2.59 .0010

FunctionalArea Scope 0.277 0.521 0.05 .4800

R2: .356


Internet fluency 0.173 0.066 2.60 .0010IndustryScope 0.3536 0.442 0.80 .2134

R2: .360


Internet fluency 0.186 0.065 2.83 .0028Firm Size 0.579 0.309 1.87 .0322R2: .377


Internet fluency 0.195 0.070 2.79 .0032Level of JobDesired 0.233 0.405 0.58 .2828

R2: .365


Internet fluency 0.089 0.071 1.25 .1075SalaryDesired 0.511 0.333 1.53 .0600

R2: .251


8/18


Proposition 2 was partially supported. Twoof the predictors were significantly related tothe extent to which individuals use theInternet for job hunting. The wider the set ofgeographical locations being considered for job opportunities, the greater the extent towhich individuals used the Internet for jobhunting. For example, individuals who werelooking for jobs in one particular city or oneparticular state expended only 2.38 and 2.11hours per week, respectively, looking for jobson the Internet. In contrast, individuals look-ing for jobs nationwide and globally spent 6.33and 5.50 hours per week, respectively, in Websearches. Also, the broader an individuals setof preferences for firm size, the more exten-sively he/she used the Internet for job hunt-ing. For instance, individuals with nopreference over firm size spent more hourson the Internet job searching than individu-als with a specific size preference (3.53 hoursvs. 2.44 hours weekly).

The relationship between desired salaryincrease and extent of Internet job huntingwas significant at the .06 level. The higherthe salary increase desired in a new job, themore likely participants were to use the Webfor job searching. For instance, individualswho were looking for jobs with pay raises ofless than 20% spent less than two hours perweek searching for jobs via the Internet. Incontrast, individuals looking for jobs withpay raises of 40% or more spent over sixhours per week searching for jobs on theWeb. Individuals interested in large payraises over their current salaries may haveto search farther and wider to find suchpositionsand may perceive the Internet asan effective means to that end. The otherthree variables investigated here were thenumber of job functions considered, num-ber of industries considered, and level ofsupervisory responsibility desired. Thesevariables were not significantly related toInternet job search activity.

What Is the Perceived Effectiveness ofInternet Job Hunting?

Data on the perceived effectiveness of Internetjob hunting were collected in two ways. First,respondents were asked to indicate which jobsearch strategy had been most helpful to them.

From a review of the job search literature,common job sources for managers and pro-fessionals were identified: Web searching,newspapers, professional journals and asso-ciations, personal contacts and networking,head hunters and search firms, and other strat-egies. Here, Internet job hunting ranked sec-ond among respondents. Forty percent rankedpersonal networking as the most helpful strat-egy, whereas 29% ranked the Internet as themost helpful strategy. Use of headhuntersranked third (17%) and newspaper ads rankedfourth (10%).

As noted earlier, respondents were alsoasked several open-ended questions about theirexperiences job hunting. Table III presents therespondents answers to the questions concern-ing the most effective ways of getting jobs andthe least effective ways of getting jobs; searchstrategies are displayed in order of frequencyof response by study participants. Note thatfrequency of mention, while likely to be corre-lated with perceptions of effectiveness, is not aperfect proxy for perceived effectiveness.

In the qualitative data, Internet searchengines and Web sites were mentioned thirdin frequency as a means of getting jobs, be-hind networking/personal contacts, headhunt-ers, and professional recruiters. As thecomments from participants reflect, network-ing may offer personal advantages not typi-cally associated with Internet usage:

Personal contacts/networking are by far the

most effective strategy for getting promis-

ing job leads and offers. Timing is every-

thing. Knowing about a position early givesyou and edge

Networking works bestbecause you feel

comfortable with the people you are deal-

ing with and they feel comfortable with you.Also, there is a level of trust that develops

in relationships that cant be leveraged over

the Internet.

My most promising job leads came from

friends who worked for the companies atwhich I interviewed. I found that referrals

from current workers put me on the fastest

track for interviews and offers.

Individualsinterested inlarge pay raisesover their current

salaries may haveto search fartherand wider to find

such positionsand may perceivethe Internet as aneffective means to

that end.


9/18


Participants in the study were also quitepositive about using headhunters and profes-sional search firms to find new job opportuni-ties. Primarily, confidence in headhunters wasbased on the belief that executive recruitershad the best contacts, had the best under-

standing of the broader labor market, and weremost efficient in turning up multiple job of-fers at one time:

I have had tremendous success through head-hunters, particularly non-local headhunters. I

believe they have more real contacts, not just

friends in lofty places, within organizations

Headhunters work best. By knowing(more) about a lot of jobs offered, they

can usually make a good judgment at

matching job skills and job requirements.

They are usually able to deliver multipleopportunities at one time. A good head-

hunter is much better at job searchingthan I am.

Headhunters not in huge (executive search)firms work best. They have a significant fi-

nancial stake in you and will get you more

interviews more quickly.

100 Networking and personal contacts

34 Headhunters and professional recruiters

16 Internet search engines and Web sites

9 College/alumni placement services

8 Newspaper advertisements

5 Cold calls/sending resumes & cover letters

5 Professional and civic organizations

3 Career fairs

30 Newspaper advertisements

22 Internet search engines and Web sites

20 Cold calls/sending resumes & cover letters

15 Posting resumes on the Web

9 College/alumni placement services

6 Headhunters and professional recruiters

2 Trade publications and associations

Strategies Most Frequently Mentioned as Effective

TABLE III Effectiveness of Job Hunting Strategies

# of Comments Job Hunting Strategy

# of Comments Job Hunting Strategy

Strategies Most Frequently Mentioned as Ineffective


10/18


Internet search engines and Web sitesalso received a high number of positivecomments. In particular, potential job ap-plicants were pleased with the Internet: (1)as a good source of general information ona wide array of industries, career paths,companies, and jobs; (2) as a helpful wayof focusing a job search on a specific geo-graphical region, job type, or industry; (3)as a quick and easy way of learning about job opportunities; and (4) as an effectivemeans of getting an idea of how hot/coldthe job market was for people with theirskills and what other firms were paying forpeople with their experience:

Its great for researching potential jobs andcareer paths . I found it helpful because

of the quantity of information out there and

how quickly I could find what I was look-

ing for.

Using the Web for job hunting proved help-ful in understanding the current demand for

my skills, locating job openings, and send-

ing out resumes as efficiently as possible.

To be honest, I have an interest in knowingmy worth in the market. From the surf-

ing that I have done in job searches, I like

the ease with which you can get salary in-

formation for positions utilizing a certainskill set.

Being able to search for jobs in a specific

field in a specific geographic location is won-

derful. Keyword searches are also extremelyuseful (MBA, for example).

Its great to be able to apply on-line or send

a resume and cover letter via e-mail. Job

hunting in other geographical areas is mucheasier now via the Web. You also have better

access to information for researching a par-

ticular company/industry (which helps for

interviews), as well as gathering information

on geographical regions, salaries, cost of liv-ing, etc.

What Are the Major Difficulties Encounteredin Internet Searches?

Next, the research examined the major diffi-culties potential job applicants experience asthey look for jobs over the Internet and/or oncompany Web pages. Table IV displays the ex-tent to which survey respondents experienceddifficulties in Internet job hunting in fifteendifferent areas. Because there is no existingscale assessing difficulties using Internet Websites, respondents were presented with all thedifficulties that had been mentioned or citedin a comprehensive review of existing articleson Web job hunting. For each area, the per-centage of respondents who had some or alot of difficulty with this aspect of Internetjob hunting are reported.

Clearly, the three areas which participantsidentified most frequently as most problem-atic with Internet job searches were slow feed-back and follow-up from potential employers,not enough appropriate jobs listed to makeWeb searches worthwhile, and lack of relevantinformation in a companys Web site. Thequalitative comments from respondents high-light why these three factors hindered the useof the Internet for job hunting purposes:

I received a large number of hits with thekey words manager and project manager,

but the definitions of those job titles vary

tremendously by industry. Internet searchesreturned a large number of hits, but after

time-consuming screening, few real poten-

tial positions matched my skill set.

It was frustrating when there was no

acknowledgement of my application and noresponses were received.It would be nice

to be updated as to the status of my appli-

cation. If the position is filled or my cre-dentials do not meet an employers needs,

then a short notice (to that effect) would

be appreciated.

Many company Web sites do not provide a

specific contact person and a specific e-mail

address (not just [email protected]). Also,companies often dont post specific salary

Clearly, the threeareas which

participantsidentified most

frequently asmost problematic

with Internet jobsearches wereslow feedbackand follow-up

from potentialemployers, notenoughappropriate jobslisted to makeWeb searches

worthwhile, andlack of relevantinformation in acompanys Web

site.


11/18


information. The phrase salary commen-

surate with experience just means we wantto pay below market salaries if we can get

away with it.

The most frustrating part of Web searching

is the lack of company response and feed-back Even just a short acknowledgement

would be appreciated. Also, many times out-

dated postings remain on Web sites and cre-ate wasted time and effort

The Web is great for finding out general in-

formation on a company and industry. But,I think the response times from applications

to individual company Web site postings are

terrible. Its hard to tell who in the companygets your resume and how to follow-up when

using the Web.

Four other aspects of Internet job searchespresented difficulties for substantial numbersof survey respondents as well: concerns aboutsecurity of personal information on the Web,

1. Slow feedback or follow-up 55.67%

2. Not enough relevant jobslisted to make worthwhile 42.83%

3. Lack of relevant datain a companys Web site 33.33%

4. Concerns about security of personal information 25.77%

5. Poor links to specific firmsWeb sites from general sites 25.77%

6. Want more personal contact 26.53%

7. Difficulty in posting resumes 23.66%

8. Site navigation problems 19.19%

9. Difficulties downloading orprinting out information 15.15%

10. Computer glitches in Web site 15.00%

11. Trouble accessing sites duringnormal business hours 12.50%

12. Difficulty finding companysWeb site on the Internet 10.10%

13. Trouble accessing sitesevenings and weekends 4.12%

14. Costs of downloading data 3.06%

15. Poor quality graphics 2.06%

Rank Difficulty % A Lot or Some Difficulty

TABLE IV Difficulties Encountered in Internet Job Searches


12/18


poor navigational links within and betweenWeb sites, the impersonality of on-line recruit-ing, and difficulties in posting resumes. Again,qualitative comments from respondents high-light the ways in which these factors hinderedInternet job hunting:

The least helpful aspects of Web searching:poor Web site reliability and fears about

posting personal information.

Waiting for Internet sites to post unneces-

sary graphics is frustrating. I am also irri-tated by inaccurate links and sites that crash

or are difficult to navigate

Its very time-consuming to load your resume

on to some of the job search sites. Also, re-

formatting leads to problems with charac-ters being added that shouldnt be there

I sense the problems with on-line recruit-

ing are the number of responses employers

get and the failure of HR professionals torespond to those responses because of the

magnitude of the applicant pool.

The Web is impersonallack of response

and feedbackno personal follow-up

Make it easier to post resumes! The sites I

have logged on to make it very difficult. AndIm not even sure when I have been suc-

cessful doing it (because) I get no acknowl-

edgment

Which Factors Are Associated withSatisfaction with Web Searching?

Next, a regression was run to discover whichproblems with Internet job hunting (outlinedin Table IV above) were most closely associ-ated with overall dissatisfaction with on-linerecruiting. Internet fluency was also added inas a predictor variable. The results are reportedin Table V.

The results here suggest that difficultiesin three areas, in particular, seem to color in-dividuals overall satisfaction with using theInternet for job hunting. The difficulties mostclosely associated with dissatisfaction withInternet job searching are lack of relevant in-formation in a companys Web site, problemsin posting resumes, and poor directions onnavigating through a companys Web site.

For example, participants who had littledifficulty with finding relevant information ina companys Web site had an average on 3.47(out of 4) on the satisfaction with Internetscale. In contrast, participants who had a lotof difficulty with this aspect of Internet jobsearching had a mean of only 2.80. Similarly,the mean response on the satisfaction withInternet scale for those who experienced nodifficulties posting resumes was 3.26 (out of4). In contrast, the mean response on the sat-isfaction scale for those who experienced a lotof difficulties posting resumes was 2.56. Asexpected, Internet fluency was also positivelyrelated to satisfaction with on-line recruiting.

Implications for Management Practice

In this final section, we examine the implica-tions the present research has for organiza-tions which are currently engaged in, orplanning on starting, Internet recruiting. Inparticular, we focus on the five suggestionsmost frequently made by respondents andsummarized in Table VI.

Provide More Feedback and Follow-Up/Provide Specific Contacts

Clearly, the most requested recommendationfrom participants in the study was that com-panies provide more and quicker feedback toon-line inquiries and applications. At the mini-mum, this would include acknowledgementof receipt of an application, notification ofwhen a posted job has been filled, and somespecific person with whom an applicant canfollow up:

Actually respond to resumes. I have many

years of experience and an excellent back-ground, supposedly what employers are

seeking. However, when I send resumes via

The difficultiesmost closelyassociated withdissatisfaction

with Internet jobsearching arelack of relevantinformation in acompanys Web

site, problems inposting resumes,and poordirections on

navigatingthrough a

companysWeb site.


13/18


e-mail, I receive a return call .0001% of the

time.

I would like two weeks response times and

a contact person and phone number to call

for follow-upinstead of submitting to ablack hole.

Provide phone numbers so you can talk to

recruiters. E-mail is efficient, but imper-

sonal . Put a real reachable person be-hind the job opening.

Starcke (1996) reports positive results alongthese lines from use of such on-line automatic

tracking systems as The Good Guys!, Restrac,Recruitsoft, and Brass Ring. Specific data foreach applicant are located in databases compiledby the softwares artificial intelligence; resumescan be extracted according to specifications setby recruiting specialists. A recruiting work-bench feature lets companies track where indi-vidual candidates are in the application processin order to prevent applications from fallingthrough the cracks. Another feature of thesesoftware packages allows companies to automati-cally generate letters acknowledging receipt ofresumes and applications.

American Express, for instance, has re- vamped its Web site so that the companyscomputer software can quickly scan resumes,sort by fields, and track results. An applicant

Intercept 3.601 0.306 11.75 .0001Difficulty finding

company Web site 0.131 0.115 1.14 .1280Lack of relevantinfo in Web site 0.178 0.091 1.95 .0278

Difficultydownloading 0.088 0.093 0.95 .1736

Cost of downloading 0.138 0.146 0.94 .1750Poor links tocompany sitesfrom general sites 0.016 0.085 0.19 .4260

Not enough goodjobs listed 0.084 0.071 1.18 .1216

Difficulty postingresumes 0.134 0.077 1.75 .0421

Trouble accessingsite during day 0.020 0.099 0.21 .4175

Trouble accessingsite nights andweekends 0.005 0.144 0.04 .4810

Computer glitchesin Web site 0.001 0.097 0.00 .4900

Concerns aboutprivacy 0.092 0.069 1.33 .0943

Poor navigationalfacility 0.211 0.092 2.29 .0124

Poor graphics 0.249 0.129 1.94 .0284Slow feedbackfrom companies 0.006 0.066 0.11 .4580

Want morepersonal contact 0.026 0.068 0.39 .3500

Internet fluency 0.028 0.012 2.38 .0100

R2: .33


TABLE V DV: Satisfaction with Web Job Searches. IVS: Difficulties Encountered in Web Searches


14/18


responding to a specific job requisition num-ber gets channeled via the Web site to a spe-cific recruiter. If a resume comes inunsolicited, it goes into a database where itcan be pulled at any time to fill a vacancy(Hays, 1999).

The recommendations made by respon-dents on this issue take on increased impor-tance given that many firms want to use theInternet to develop relationships with pas-sive job candidates (Boehle, 2000). Quickerfeedback and more personal attention maybe especially critical to building relationshipswith these candidates, who are not seriouslylooking for jobs at present but who may be-come viable and attractive applicants for fu-ture openings.

Provide More Detailed Job Descriptions andJob Specifications

Organizations face a delicate balancing act intheir recruiting efforts. On one hand, compa-nies want to provide broad enough job descrip-tions and specifications so that a large enoughpool of potential candidates will apply. On theother hand, job descriptions and specificationsmay be so vague that either too many unquali-fied job seekers apply or the best potentialapplicants fail to apply.

From participants comments, it appearsthat on-line recruiters are erring too much onthe side of generalities and fail to provide po-tential applicants with sufficiently detailedinformation about positions. Also, some on-line recruiters appear to be posting wish listsas job specifications rather than realistic skillrequirements. In addition, some job search-ers may be reluctant to apply when no rangesare provided for either salaries or benefits,perhaps on the assumption that no news oncompensation is bad news:

HR managers put a laundry list of qualifica-tions out thereLast year, WebMD placed

a position on the Internet requiring five years

of Internet marketing experience in the

healthcare field. How many Internethealthcare companies were around in 1995?

It would be useful if organizations would list

realistic (specifications) for responsible po-

sitions instead of posting vague, Save theWorld, requirements.

Provide more details, especially on salary and

benefits. I often exclude potential jobs if they

dont list that information.

TABLE VI

Recommendation

Provide more feedback and follow-up on applications; provide more frequent

application status updates; provide a specific contact person, phone number, ande-mail address for each listing

Provide more detailed job descriptions and job specifications so applicants candetermine whether their profiles match company needs; provide more specificdata on geographical locations and travel demands

Make it easier to submit resumes; use a standardized form across Web sites;dont make applicants re-key in resumes

Update Web sites; list original posting date of each job listed; drop filledpositions from Web sites

Improve reliability and efficiency of Web sites; make them easier to navigate bydropping needless graphics; provide better links to other sites

# of Comments

52

37

22

19

8

Corporate Strategies for Making On-Line Recruiting More Applicant Friendly


15/18


Always post salary ranges, percent travel

required.and specific geographical loca-

tions of jobs.

Borck (2000) suggests that software pro-grams like ICplanet can take much of theguesswork out of matching employee pros-pects to job requirements. Appropriate setsof candidates can be compiled by job cat-egory, specific areas of specialization, and/or geographical region. ICplanet also pro-vides an optional prescreening service thatverifies an applicants background and workhistory, thereby saving HR professionalsneedless legwork.

General Electric has also focused exten-sively on improving the quality of its on-linerecruiting, particularly in its Power SystemsDivision. In its own internal review of on-linerecruiting, GE determined that its job descrip-tions were too vaguely written and were gearedprimarily for internal, rather than external,use. Over half of GE Power Divisions job list-ings were subsequently rewritten and reposted(Martinez, 2000).

A/E/C WorkForce is an Atlanta-based jobsite for architects, engineers, and contractors.Besides posting jobs, the site has a section calledAEC Career Mentor, where applicants cansubmit questions and get responses aboutpostings. GeoSearch, an on-line recruiting firmin Colorado Springs, also offers a full servicepackage to potential employers. With this ser-vice, GeoSearch will assign a specific recruiterto each on-line candidate and will interview allprospects over the phone. Services such asthese facilitate on-line recruiting from the per-spective of both potential candidates and po-tential employers (Murphy, 2001).

Improve Procedures for Submitting andProcessing Resumes

As noted earlier, the logistics of posting re-sumes on many companies Web sites appearsto be user-unfriendly. While it may not yetbe possible to develop a generic resume for-mat that all organizations can use, it may bepossible to allow applicants to attach theirresumes in Word documents or find other waysof making the process for submitting applica-tions easier:

(Companies) need a simpler process for just

cutting and pasting resumes without having

to fill in each companys own template. How

about a quick and easy standardized form that

does not require too much re-typing?

Get rid of resume building to (a companys)specific criteria. Just simplify the process by

letting applicants download an application

and fill it out in Word. Then, let people sendin an e-mail with the filled application and

the resumes theyve already prepared.

When using Web sites, it is frustrating to

have to retype your resume information in(each companys) format. It would be so

much easier and more efficient to be able

to simply attach a Word document.

Cisco Systems has one of the most user-friendly resume-building programs in the in-dustry (called Cisco Profiler). That programeven includes an Oh No! My Boss is Com-ing button, which an individual can click andwhich will quickly switch the screen to a dis-play of Seven Habits of a Successful Em-ployee. Visitors can take a virtual tour of theSan Jose headquarters, can fill a shopping cartwith openings that interest them, or join theMake Friends @ Cisco program, which con-nects potential applicants with real-life peoplefrom the department in which they want towork (Boehle, 2000; Useem, 1999). In addi-tion to facilitating resume submission, Ciscosprogram also enhances its image as a goodemployer to potential recruits.

Moreover, the processing of on-line resumescan be expedited as well. As Capelli (2001, p.144) suggests, vendors like Brainbench provideextensive testing services to verify applicantsskills, while companies like Hire Check providesoftware for performing background checks.Similarly, Kforce.com and other job boards al-low applicants to submit audio and video clipsof themselves for evaluation and assessment.

Update Web Sites and Keep Postings Current

Another recommendation is keeping Web sitesupdated and postings current. At the mini-

Appropriate setsof candidates canbe compiled by

job category,specific areas ofspecialization,and/or

geographicalregion.


16/18


mum, this would include listing the date ofthe original job posting and removing filledpositions from the Web site:

Always provide the date the ad waspostedTake old postings down when filled.

Keep the site current. Too often, jobs that

are listed on a companys Web site have al-

ready been filled.

Let me know if an opening is available anddont waste my time with leave us your in-

formation. I want to know if something is

available for me to pursue or not NOW.

Software programs like Restrac also al-low companies to identify the most likelyback up candidates if initial job offers arerejected. This program is also formatted toinclude new applications that have been re-ceived since a filled job was withdrawn fromthe Web site, and to automatically send ap-plication-status update e-mails (Starcke,1996). To give their members a leg up on thecompetition, the American Marketing Asso-ciation posts its most recent job listings on aWeb site accessible only to AMA membersten days before positions are publicly postedin other sites (Murphy, 1999).

Another promising tool is RecruiterWebTop. As a hosted service offering, Re-cruiter Web Top creates a recruiting site linkedto the companys homepage. It features ad-vanced applicant tracking systems and skill-based screening procedures. Already,corporations like the Bank of Montreal, DowChemical, Hewlett-Packard, Cabletron Sys-tems, Deloitte & Touche, Hasbro, and Metro-politan Life have implemented this service inorder to keep their Web sites updated, theirpostings current, and their hiring-cycle timedown (Goodridge, 2001).

Make Web Site Navigation MoreUser-Friendly

Finally, companies engaged in online recruit-ing might want to reexamine the reliability andefficiency of their Web sites and the ease of

navigation to, and through, their Web pages.In some cases, this might include improvinglinks between a companys Web site and ge-neric sites like Monster.com. In other cases,it might mean making links within the Webpage clearer and easier to follow. Another rec-ommendation made by survey respondents wasthat a companys taxonomy for job openingsshould better reflect the terminology and cat-egories used by potential job seekers, so thatpeople can more quickly and efficiently searchfor possible positions:

Sometimes its hard to find a companys linkto specific employment opportunities

I do not like the vast number of postings on

big sites, all the time sorting options.I also

find the speed of Web sites to be frustrat-

ingly slow. I dont need all the frills (e.g.,banner advertising), just the job information.

The least helpful part of Web site searching

is having to sort through hundreds of jobs

to find just one possibility.

Job classifications are not clear or well-or-ganized. If youre a manager of technical

professionals, should you look under engi-

neer, manager, technical, or professional?

General Electric has been a leader inmaking its Web sites more applicantfriendly. It established a two-click bench-mark rule; that is, it should only take twoclicks of a computer mouse for a visitor toretrieve sought-after information. GE alsosimplified its search categories into suchgroups as Entry level and Experienced Pro-fessionals to make job hunting easier forpotential candidates. The navigation systemwas redesigned based on recommendationsfrom employee focus groups; for instance,slow-loading graphics were deleted and keyfeatures of GE in general and specific jobopportunities were made more salient(Martinez, 2000).

In a recent survey of the Fortune 500sbest practices conducted by iLogos Research,

Finally,companiesengaged inonline recruiting

might want toreexamine thereliability andefficiency of theirWeb sites and the

ease ofnavigation to,and through,their Web pages.


17/18


73% of the Fortune 500 now link their Ca-reers section directly to their home page and56% adhere to the one click to apply prac-tice (HR Focus, 2001). Nonetheless, muchmore work needs to be done in this regard.Negative first impressions of job sites discour-age further searching and Web sites that aredifficult to navigate are particularly likely tofrustrate those with low Internet fluency. Jobseekers move rapidly from one Web site toanother; less than 10% of surfers scroll forinformation beyond that presented on the toppage. Consequently, companies only have anarrow window of opportunity to influence apotential applicants decision to proceed fur-ther in an Internet job hunt (Cober, Brown,Blumenthal, Doverspike, & Levy, 2000).

Conclusion

Without question, the use of online recruit-ing has tremendous potential benefits for cor-porations. As reported in Capelli (2001),online recruiting can cut a week off the hiringcycle at the job advertising phase of recruit-ment. On-line recruiting can also be integratedwith overall corporate marketing and brand-ing through links to company advertising on

homepages. While newspaper advertisementscan cost as much as $1,000 for one print ap-pearance, the price of posting a job online fora month can be as low as $100. In addition,e-recruiting cuts down expenses on mailings,brochures, and on-site interviews (HR Focus,2001). It is also possible that online recruit-ing can reach a more diverse applicant pooland, at the same time, yield a higher qualityset of candidates.

Furthermore, online recruiting can cutdown on expenses incurred in using headhunt-ers and external search firms. For instance,many companies pay placement fees of up to30% of a hires first-year compensation pack-age. Recruiting budgets can be stretched muchfurther through increased use of on-line re-cruiting (Corsini, 2001).

As both this study and previous researchsuggests, Internet recruiting is still develop-ing as a major component of companies staff-ing process. The use of Internet recruiting hasdoubled since 1998and yet only about 17%of jobs are filled by on-line recruiting today(Corsini, 2001). The results of the presentstudy suggests some important avenues forimproving HR practice in this critical man-agement task.

Daniel C. Feldman (Ph.D., Yale University) is the James Bradley Distinguished Foun-dation Fellow at the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. Heis the Editor of the Journal of Management and has served as Chair of the CareersDivision of the Academy of Management. His most recent book is Work Careers: ADevelopmental Perspective, forthcoming from Jossey-Bass in 2002.

Brian S. Klaas (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin) is Professor of Management at theUniversity of South Carolina Moore School of Business, where he also serves as Direc-tor of the Masters of Human Resources Program and the Riegel & Emory HumanResource Center. His research interests include professional employer organizations,compensation, discipline, and grievance procedures.

REFERENCES

Begley, T.M., & Czajka, J.M. (1993). Panel analysis

of the moderating effects of commitment on job

satisfaction, intent to quit, and health following

organizational change. Journal of Applied Psy-

chology, 78, 552556.

Boehle, S. (2000). Online recruiting gets sneaky.

Training, 37, 6674.

Borck, J.R. (2000). Recruiting systems control resume

chaos. InfoWorld, 22, 4749.

Boudreau, J.W., Boswell, W.R., Judge, T.A., & Bretz,

R.D., Jr. (2001). Personality and cognitive abil-

ity as predictors of job search among employed

managers. Personnel Psychology, 54, 2550.

Bretz, R.D., Jr., Boudreau, J.W., & Judge, T.A. (1994).


18/18


Job search behavior of employed managers. Per-

sonnel Psychology, 47, 275301.

Caggiano, C. (1999, December). The truth about

Internet recruiting. Inc., p. 56.

Capelli, P. (2001). Making the most of on-line recruit-

ing. Harvard Business Review, 79(3), 139146.

Charles, J. (2000). Finding a job on the Web. Black

Enterprise, 30, 9095.

Cober, R.T., Brown, D.J., Blumenthal, A.J.,

Doverspike, D., & Levy, P. (2000). The quest for

the qualified job surfer: Its time the public sec-

tor catches the wave. Public Personnel Manage-

ment, 29, 479495.

Conhaim, W.W. (1998). Employment. Link-up, 15,

5, 1417.

Corsini, S. (2001). Wired to hire. Training, 38, 50

54.

Dalton, D.R., & Todor, W.D. (1993). Turnover, trans-

fer, and absenteeism: An interdependent p e r -

spective. Journal of Management, 19, 193219.

Dickter, D.N., Roznowski, M., & Harrison, D.A.

(1996). Temporal tempering: An event history

analysis of the process of voluntary turnover. Jour-

nal of Applied Psychology, 81, 705716.

Farris, J., & Dumas, M. (1999). Finding a job on the

Internet. Strategic Finance, 80, 6266.

Goodridge, E. (2001, January 1). New recruits for on-

line recruiting. Information Week, p. 85.

Hays, S. (1999). Hiring on the Web. Workforce, 78,

7682.

Herman, J.B. (1973). Are situational contingencies

limiting job attitudejob performance relation-

ships? Organizational Behavior and Human Per-

formance, 10, 208224.

Hirschman, A.O. (1970). Exit, voice, and loyalty. Cam-

bridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

HR Focus. (2000, March). On-line recruiting: What

works, what doesnt. 3, 1, 1113.

Kay, A.S. (2000). Recruiters embrace the Internet.

Informationweek, 778, 7280.

Kopelman, R., Rovenpor, J., & Millsap, R. (1992).

Rationale and construct validity evidence for the

job search behavior index: Because intentions

often come to naught. Journal of Vocational Be-

havior, 40, 269287.

Laabs, J.L. (1998). Like finding a needle in a hay-

stack: Recruiting in the global village. Workforce,

77, 3033.

Leonard, B. (2000). Online and overwhelmed.

HRMagazine, 45, 3642.

McGee, G.W., & Ford, R.C. (1987). Two (or more)

dimensions of organizational commitment:

Reexamination of the affective and continuance

commitment scales. Journal of Applied P s y -

chology, 72, 638642.

Maher, K. (2000, September 20). The new 24/7 work

cycle. Wall Street Journal, p. B1.

Martinez, M.N. (2000). Get job seekers to come to

you. HRMagazine, 45, 4452.

Meyer, J.P., & Allen, N.J. (1984). Testing the side-

bet theory of organizational commitment: Some

methodological considerations. Journal of Ap-

plied Psychology, 69, 372378.

Murphy, C. (2001, September). The new way to staff

your firm. Civil Engineering News, pp. 4045.

Murphy, H.L. (1999). Top job sites. Marketing News,

33, 1315.

Quick, R. (1998, March 5). Your cyber career: Using

the internet to find a job?Tips on resumes,

searches, and security. Wall Street Journal, pp.

B8B9.

Rusbult, C.E., Farrell, D., Rogers, G., & Mainus,

A.G. (1988). Impact of exchange variables on

exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect: An integrative

model of responses to declining job satis-

faction. Academy of Management Journal, 31,

599627.

Silverman, R.E. (2000, September 20) The new 24/7

work cycle: Recruiters hunt for resumes is noc-

turnal game. Wall Street Journal, p. B1.

Starcke, A.M. (1996). Internet recruiting shows rapid

growth. HRMagazine, 41, 6166.

Taylor, J.C., & Bowers, D.G. (1972). Survey of orga-

nizations: A machine scored standardized i n -

strument. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan

Institute for Social Research.

Turnley, W.H., & Feldman, D.C. (1999). The impact

of psychological contract violations on exit,

voice, loyalty, and neglect. Human Relations, 52,

895922.

Useem, J. (1999, July 5). For sale online: You. For-

tune, pp. 6678.

Zall, M. (2000). Using the Internet to find your next

job. Strategic Finance, 81, 7478.

Documents

4 Internet Job Hunting