Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/302314 
Year of Publication: 
2024
Series/Report no.: 
ECONtribute Discussion Paper No. 332
Publisher: 
University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Reinhard Selten Institute (RSI), Bonn and Cologne
Abstract: 
Job advertisements are a key instrument for companies to attract talent. We conduct a field experiment in which we randomize the content of job advertisements for STEM jobs in one of the largest European technology firms. Specifically, we study how highlighting job flexibility and career advancement in job advertisements causally affects the firm's pool of applicants. We find large treatment effects of entry-, but not for senior-level positions in the firm: highlighting job flexibility increases the total number of female and male applicants, while emphasizing career advancement only raises applications by men. Both effects are entirely driven by applicants residing outside of the federal state in which the firm is located. In a survey experiment among STEM students, we find that the content of job advertisements shapes young professionals' beliefs about the work environment at the firm. Most importantly, we find that students expect better career benefits, but lower work-life balance when career advancement are highlighted. Our study highlights how job advertisements affect the total number of applications as well as applicants' quality, diversity, region of residence and beliefs.
Subjects: 
beliefs
hiring
field experiments
survey experiment
job advertisements
gender
JEL: 
M51
M52
D22
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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