Nothing But Net? Corporate Image and Web-Based Testing

Abstract

The dramatic surge in the use of the Internet for administering employee selection procedures has generated substantial interest in how candidate reactions to these tools influence perceptions of a potential employer. However, it is unlikely that all candidates attend to the same characteristics of Internet-based systems, or that these characteristics influence all candidates in similar ways. In this study involving a cross-organizational applicant sample, we observed strong links between system speed and user-friendliness perceptions, and company image. In addition, our results indicated that these characteristics are more impactful for candidates with less prior Internet experience and potentially, for older candidates as well. We review implications of our findings for organizations pursuing the Internet as an exclusive or primary medium for administering selection tools.