Factors Influencing the Effects of Realistic Job Previews on Applicant Judgments of Organizational Attractiveness

• Main Author: Bourgeois, Natalie Trask
• Other Authors: Jim Deifendorff
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: LSU 2003
• Subjects: Psychology
• Online Access: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-0401103-155852/

Realistic job previews (RJPs) involve the presentation of both positive and negative job attributes to job applicants. Although several researchers have studied effects of RJPs on satisfaction, turnover, and performance, comparatively less research has focused on the effects of RJPs on attraction. This study extends previous RJP research by sampling both students who are education majors and currently employed teachers. It compared their ratings of attraction to organizations represented by an RJP or a traditional job preview (TJP). In addition, both teachers and education students completed a measure of negative affectivity (NA). Contrary to expectations, results of this study showed that teachers were less attracted to both the RJP and the TJP than education students. However, consistent with expectations, teachers and education students were less attracted to the RJP than the TJP. Also contrary to expectation, no evidence was found for a significant relationship between NA and organizational attraction. Past research on the effects of RJPs on organizational attraction has not included employed persons; however, these findings suggest that future research may consider including employed persons. It also suggests that organizations may want to consider whether use of RJPs is appropriate for their recruitment needs.