Factors influencing e-recruitment usage: an analysis of the moderating effect of the applicant's job status

The phenomenon of e-recruitment has been widely debated over the last decades. However, little is known about factors influencing potential applicants’ e-recruitment usage. By analysing survey data about 179 Italian participants, this study analyses the effect of technological (i.e. ease of use and efficiency) and organizational (i.e. amount of information, perceived fairness and innovativeness) factors on e-recruitment usage. The indirect effect of applicants’ job status is also explored. The study reveals that perceived efficiency and the amount of information available positively influence e-recruitment usage. Additionally, job status has both a direct and indirect effect on e-recruitment usage, with more experienced workers more prone towards using e-recruitment tools. The positive effects of perceived efficiency and amount of information are stronger for the unemployed and students. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed, as well as future research directions.