Abstract
The relationship between recruitment advertisement variables and applicant response rate was investigated. Three hundred and fifty companies were surveyed about applicant responses to their classified advertisements. One hundred and thirty-three surveys were completed and sent back for a return rate of 38%. The results of this study indicate that advertisements which include variables to enhance the physical features of the advertisement: such as white space, size, border, and graphics—are positively related to the quantity of an applicant pool.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Assael, H., Kofron, J., & Burgi, W. (1967). Advertising performance as a function of print ad characteristics.Journal Of Advertising Research, 7, 20–26.
Bogart, L., & Tolley, B. (1988). The search for information in newspaper advertising.Journal of Advertising Research, 28, 9–19.
Bucalo, J. (1983). Good advertising can be more effective than other recruitment tools.Personnel Administrator, 28, 73–79.
Davids, M. (1986). How to plan and place corporate advertising in print media.Public Relations Journal, 42, 29–30.
Diamond, D. (1968). A quantitative approach to magazine advertisement format selection.Journal of Marketing Research, 5, 376–386.
Fyock, C. (1988). New ways to say “help wanted”.Personnel Administrator, 33, 100.
Gersh, D. (1986). The latest on classified.Editor and Publisher, 119, 17.
Greenberg, E. (1986). The costs and strategies of recruitment advertising.Compensation and Benefits Review, 16, 69–73.
Halcrow, A. (1985). Anatomy of a recruitment ad.Personnel Journal, 64, 64–65.
Halcrow, A. (1989). When recruitment classifieds are personal.Recruitment Today, 2, 52–54.
Hanssens, D., & Weitz, B. (1980). The effectiveness of industrial print advertisements across product categories.Journal of Marketing Research, 17, 294–306.
Hendon, D. (1973). How mechanical factors affect ad perception.Journal of Advertising Research, 13, 39–43.
Hodes, B. (1983). Planning for recruitment advertising: Part 2.Personnel Journal, 62, 492–501.
Hodes, B. (1985). How to choose the most effective media vehicle.Personnel Journal, 64, 75–79.
Holbrook, M., & Lehman, D. (1980). Form versus content in predicting starch scores.Journal of Advertising Research, 20, 53–62.
Ilaw, M. (1985). Reading between the lines.Black Enterprise, 15, 95–96.
Kaplan, A., & Wilk, D. (1989). Relationship between characteristics of recruitment advertisements and applicant pool quantity and quality.Proceedings of the 10th Annual Graduate Conference in I/O Psychology and Organizational Behavior, New Orleans, LA.
Lewis, H. (1988). Classified is the most direct (part 2).Direct Marketing, 51, 72–74.
Magnus, M. (1986). Recruitment ad vantages.Personnel Journal, 65, 58–77.
Magnus, M. (1987). Is your recruitment all it can be?Personnel Journal, 66, 54–63.
Magnus, M. (1988). TV channels recruitment efforts.Recruitment Today, 1, 56–58.
Martin, B. (1987). Recruitment ad ventures.Personnel Journal, 66, 46–63.
Mason, N., & Belt, J. (1986). The costs and strategies of recruitment advertising.Journal of Management, 12, 425–432.
Mondy, R., Noe, R., & Edwards, R. (1987). Successful recruitment: Matching sources and methods.Personnel, 64, 42–46.
Palkowitz, E., & Mueller, M. (1987). Agencies foresee change in advertising's future.Personnel Journal, 66, 124–128.
Rawlinson, H. (1988). What do your classified ads say about you?Recruitment Today, 1, 47–52.
Rossiter, J. (1981). Predicting starch scores.Journal of Advertising Research, 21, 63–68.
Soley, L. (1986). Copy length and industrial advertising readership.Industrial Marketing Management, 15, 245–251.
Soley, L., & Reid, L. (1983). Predicting industrial ad readership.Industrial Marketing Management, 12, 201–206.
Starch, D. (1966).Measuring advertising readership and results. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Stoops, R. (1984a). Creative ad concepts are not accidents.Personnel Journal, 63, 86–88.
Stoops, R. (1984b). How Federal Express recruited for a new high-tech image.Personnel Journal, 63, 16.
Stoops, R. (1984c). Reader survey supports market approach to recruitment.Personnel Journal, 63, 22–24.
Stoops, R. (1984d). Realize the full potential of recruitment advertising.Personnel Journal, 63, 60–62.
Stoops, R. (1984e). Recruitment ads that get results.Personnel Journal, 63, 24–26.
Stoops, R. (1985). How to increase response from inactive job seekers.Personnel Journal, 64, 71–77.
Twedt, D. (1952). A multiple factor analysis of advertising readership.Journal of Applied Psychology, 36, 207–215.
Valiente, R. (1973). Mechanical correlates of ad recognition.Journal of Advertising Research, 13, 13–18.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kaplan, A.B., Aamodt, M.G. & Wilk, D. The relationship between advertisement variables and applicant responses to newspaper recruitment advertisements. J Bus Psychol 5, 383–395 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01017709
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01017709