Click here to apply: Job ad content, anticipated organizational support, and applicant attraction

Abstract

The present study explores whether job ads emphasizing information about organizational supplies (i.e., what the organization can offer to its employees) versus organizational demands (i.e., what the organization requires from its employees) will differentially influence applicants’ job pursuit intentions (JPI). Furthermore, anticipated organizational support (AOS) was evaluated as a partial mediator in this relationship, and applicant quality as a moderator for the relationship between AOS and JPI. Our results indicated that information emphasizing organizational supplies (as opposed to organizational demands) led to greater AOS, which in turn was positively correlated with JPI. Additionally, it was found that AOS fully mediated the relationship between job ad emphasis and JPI. Contrary to our predictions, applicant quality did not moderate the relationship between AOS and JPI. The results from this study will ultimately help organizations to craft better job ads that will allow them to attract more, and potentially higher quality job applicants.