The Impact of Trustworthiness Perception on Online Recruiting Success

Abstract

Actively searching for potential talent via direct approaches by recruiters in online networks is increasingly gaining importance. Online career networks enable recruiters to make direct contact with promising candidates for advertised positions. However, the online context always entails an increased risk for participants, especially with regard to the disclosure of personal data and sensitive information, and thus reinforces the need for trust-building mechanisms. This paper focuses on the investigation of initial trust in the context of online direct ap-proaches via career networks. Based on the initial trust model, we examined which factors influence how much a candidate trusts an online recruiter. After these factors were incorporated into our model, the effect of initial trust on the candidate’s behavioral intention to respond to the online re-cruiter's message was investigated. We conducted an online questionnaire and recruited participants via online social networks (N = 264). The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Our results indicate positive relationships of the disposition to trust, trust-assuring argument and structural assurance with the candidate’s initial trust in the e-recruiter. Final-ly, the hypothesized positive relationship between initial trust and intention to reply can be con-firmed.