From Want Ads to Web Sites

• Author: Lois Recasino Wise,Nadia Rubaii-Barrett
• Published date: 01 March 2007
• DOI: 10.1177/0734371X06289040
• Date: 01 March 2007
• Subject Matter: Articles

Review of Public Personnel
Administration
Volume 27 Number 1
March 2007 21-38
© 2007 Sage Publications
From Want Ads to Web Sites
10.1177/0734371X06289040
http://roppa.sagepub.com
hosted at
What Diversity Messages Are State
http://online.sagepub.com
Governments Projecting?
Nadia Rubaii-Barrett
Binghamton University
Lois Recasino Wise
Indiana University
Job seekers are increasingly turning to the Internet. Government Web sites not only
provide information about employment opportunities but also convey messages, whether
intentional or not, about values and priorities that affect individuals’ perceptions of the
attractiveness of the state as an employer. This study replicates private sector–based
research by examining the diversity messages reflected in text and visual imagery on 50
state government Web sites. Overall, in contrast with private companies, a majority of
states do not demonstrate a clear commitment to diversity on their Web sites. Rather, the
states place greater emphasis on customer service and efficiency. Given the increased
importance of the Internet as a recruitment tool, findings suggest the need for greater
attention to the diversity messages conveyed by state government Web sites. The article
concludes with some practical recommendations for more effective use of this medium
to advance diversity-related recruitment goals and suggestions for future research.
Keywords:
diversity; recruitment; Web sites; Internet; human resource management;
U.S. states
The context of recruitment is changing. If an organization is to be competitive in the
“war for talent” era (Abramson, Demesme, & Gardner, 2002; Michaels, Handfield-
Jones, & Axelrod, 2001), the strategic use of the Internet is crucial (O’Leary, Lindholm,
Whitford, & Freeman, 2002; Simpson, 2004). Job seekers are dramatically shifting their
attention to the Internet (Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2002a, 2002b; Kuhn &
Skuterud, 2000) and away from more traditional means of recruitment (Cober, Brown,
Blumenthal, Doverspike, & Levy, 2000; P. Singh & Finn, 2003). In 2001, 19.6 mil-
lion individuals, representing 9.2% of the civilian noninstitutional population age 16
years and older, reported using the Internet to search for a job (BLS, 2002b).
In their study of diversity messages represented on the Web sites of 241 top
European companies, V. Singh and Point (2004) applied a broad definition of diversity
and examined text and visual images. According to their review of Web sites, the
majority of companies presented positive positions toward diversity and managing
diversity. Approximately one third of top European companies acknowledged diversity
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Review of Public Personnel Administration
as a competitive advantage and provided positive reasons for managing diversity.
Approximately 19% demonstrated that diversity was supported and valued but pro-
vided no explanation regarding why diversity is important. Another 10% indicated
respect for difference and encouraged individual growth and development.
Our interest here is in state government online recruitment efforts. State govern-
ments are recognized not only for the significance of their role as innovators in the
federal system of government but also for their long-term efforts to increase the
diversity of their workforces (Hebert, Wright, & Brudney, 1992; McCabe & Stream,
2000). States have struggled with the competing demands for equity and efficiency
(National Commission on the State and Local Public Service, 1993). Among gov-
ernment workers, state government employees report the highest use of Internet job
searches according to the BLS (2002a).
We focus on state Web sites for several reasons. Some evidence suggests that
nationwide commercial searchable job posting sites, such as Career Magazine, Job
Center, Career Mosaic, Monster Board, and Career Builder, are of limited use to public
sector recruitment efforts (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2001). There is no
single state-level counterpart to the federal government’s USA JOBS Web site,
although state and local governments can use this site to advertise jobs. In addition,
professional association Web sites are too numerous and varied, and regional Web
sites are, by definition, limited in scope and inappropriate for efforts to find skilled
professionals across the country. Finally, and perhaps most important, organizational
Web sites frequently serve as the first point of contact for job seekers (V. Singh &
Point, 2004, p. 295).
An organization’s own Web site can provide significant advantages for recruitment
(Cober et al., 2000). Web-based recruitment strategies allow government employers to
offset budget limitations that might otherwise put them at a disadvantage relative to
business and industry and to counter negative images the public may have of govern-
ment as inefficient and cumbersome (Bingham, Ilg, & Davidson, 2002; Cober et al.,
2000; Doverspike, Taylor, Schultz, & McKay, 2000; Green, 2000; Lavigna & Hays,
2004; Reichenberg, 2002; P. Singh & Finn, 2003). Web sites are accessible to potential
applicants around the clock and around the world (Simpson, 2004). In addition to
cost-efficiency and expediency, the use of one’s own Web site allows an organization
to present information in a format that highlights the unique qualities of the organiza-
tion, provides an opportunity to make a positive first impression to potential applicants,
and allows an organization to highlight aspects of its own culture, all of which are
important factors affecting applicants’ intentions to pursue a job (Cober et al., 2000;
Gatewood, Gowan, & Lautenschlager, 1993). Technology can ease the application and
screening process and save cost and time for employers and applicants (Bingham
et al., 2002). These processes, however, still depend on potential applicants being
attracted to apply.
Government Web sites not only provide information about job vacancies and
employment opportunities but also provide substantial insight into government

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Barrett, Wise / State Government Diversity Messages
23
openness (LaPorte, Demchak, & de Jong, 2002). Just as Web sites can put forward
a positive image of private sector employers (Turban & Greening, 1996) and display
corporate social responsibility and commitment to diversity (V. Singh & Point, 2004),
they are also a critical facet of the “public face of government” (LaPorte et al., 2002,
p. 413). Job seekers using the Internet may assume that employers provide infor-
mation they consider important about their organizations on their Web sites (Lievens
& Harris, 2003).
The patterns of Internet use for job search are comparable across age, gender,
race, and ethnicity lines, although individuals between the ages of 20 and 34 years
reported slightly higher percentages of use, and slightly lower use was reported by
Hispanics (BLS, 2002b). As such, state governments have the potential to use their
Web sites to promote workforce diversity. To what extent do states use this medium
to their advantage? In this article, we analyze state government Web sites to deter-
mine the prevalence and nature of diversity messages. The current study offers a 50-
state comparison that informs understanding of trends and practices. Based on our
observations, we conclude that state human resource (HR) agencies could do much
more to appeal to women and minorities, and we offer a number of practical recom-
mendations for more effective use of this medium to advance diversity-related
recruitment goals. In the next section we review current research and discuss differ-
ent issues related to using Web sites as a diversity recruitment tool. The third section
describes our methodological approach. In the fourth section, we present our find-
ings. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for policy and practice and
suggestions for future research.
Using Web Sites As a Diversity Recruitment Tool
The recruitment literature suggests that job seekers evaluate the job and the orga-
nization in deciding whether to submit an application (Thomas & Wise, 1999).
Assessments of the job are based in large part on the match between the individual’s
knowledge, skills, abilities, and interests and the requirements of the position. The
organization is evaluated on very different criteria, including organizational charac-
teristics, work values, and organizational image (Thomas & Wise, 1999). It is this
second stage assessment—regarding organizational attractiveness—that is of most
interest for the purposes of this research.
“Job surfers” use Web sites as a means not only to determine whether and where
appropriate vacancies exist but also to make their initial assessments of prospective
employers. Among the many first impressions that a potential applicant may get from
a Web site is some sense of how much that employer values diversity. This may be a
particularly important consideration for members of underrepresented groups (Avery,
Hernandez, & Hebl, 2004; Cober et al., 2000; Doverspike et al., 2000; Perkins,

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Thomas, & Taylor, 2000; Simpson, 2004; Thomas & Wise, 1999; Tipper, 2004). Some
research suggests that potential applicants need to be able to envision that they can fit
well within the organization, and it posits that the more diversity is represented on Web
sites, the more likely the message will make connections to a wider and more diverse
pool of applicants (Cober et al., 2000; Doverspike et al., 2000); that is, in evaluating
the attractiveness of a prospective employer, applicants may look for...