Applicant Reactions
A final criterion that is important to consider in developing or selecting assessment methods
is the reactions of the applicants. The recruitment and selection process is a two-way
interaction between the organization and prospective job candidates, where both parties
are selling themselves, attempting to attract the other and assessing mutual fit. Everything
that an organization does in the recruitment and selection process leaves candidates with
an impression about how the organization does business, and the totality of this experience
has a significant impact on whether or not they will ultimately accept employment.
While there is limited research on applicant reactions to specific assessment methods,
candidates who feel positively about the selection processes used by an organization
report higher levels of satisfaction with the organization, and they are more likely to
recommend the organization to others.48 Because there is such competition for highly
qualified job candidates, the issue of applicant reactions is not inconsequential. There
are real reasons for organizational members to be mindful and careful about the
impressions candidates form as a result of their recruitment and selection processes.