Recruiting for diversity

This paper describes some of the findings of an ongoing research study sponsored by a major UK graduate employer wishing to increase the number of job applications that it receives from women. The findings suggest that males and females may hold different perceptions of particular organisations and that this factor may be as significant as different (career) needs or desires in determining their different job application intentions. The paper reviews some of the related points from the organisational choice and work values literature, before going on to describe the research and its findings in more detail. The implications for organisations are discussed, with a particular focus on the role of personal interaction between (current) employees and potential recruits. The application of concepts from the organisational image and identity literatures is used to explore whether making changes to an organisation’s recruitment image, in order to attract more diverse recruits, first requires changing existing employees’ view of the organisation.