Applicant communication satisfaction, intent to accept second interview offers, and recruiter communication style

Abstract

As attention to the recruitment function of campus employment screening interviews increases, the impact of recruiter communication on applicant decisions has come under scrutiny. Unfortunately, the extant research on applicants’ reactions to recruiters is inconclusive because of conceptual and methodological shortcomings. The present investigation addresses the problem by examining the extent to which applicants’ satisfaction with the communication that takes place during interviews predicts their intent to accept second interview offers, and by studying the influence of recruiter communication style on applicant satisfaction. Using the modified Interpersonal Communication Satisfaction Inventory and the Communicator Style Measure, data gathered from students and recruiters participating in interviews showed that communication satisfaction significantly predicts intent to accept second interview offers, and that recruiter communication style is a moderate predictor of applicant communication satisfaction. Implications for research and practice are explored in the concluding section of the paper.