The effect of person-organization fit feedback via recruitment Web sites on applicant attraction

Abstract

We adopted a person–organization (P–O) fit framework to examine applicant attraction to an organization in the context of Web-based recruitment. A total of 121 undergraduate business students participated in a two-stage study first by completing a paper-and-pencil survey and second, by visiting a fictitious recruitment Web site in which the researchers manipulated the fit feedback information participants received. Levels of participants’ subjective P–O fit and P–O fit feedback information were found to be positively related to attraction. That is, participants with high subjective P–O fit perceptions and participants who received high P–O fit feedback information reported higher applicant attraction. Furthermore, the interaction between P–O fit feedback information and whether the P–O fit feedback information was consistent with participants’ subjective P–O fit was significantly related to applicant attraction. Implications of Web-based recruitment with real-time feedback are offered.