Significance of Trait Inferences on Applicant Attraction: A Study of the Indian Information Technology Sector

Abstract

All the business units are in a tussle to build a competitive brand not only to increase the market share but also to capture the potential applicants. It is believed that customers assign certain qualities to each and every brand they know. Similarly, potential applicants attach specific traits to the organizations, which in turn influence their attitude towards the organization. The present study attempts to examine the perception of external audience towards symbolic traits and employer attractiveness in the Indian Information Technology (IT) Sector. Two samples of prospective applicants were drawn (Students = 351, IT Employees = 234) from the applicant population. Respondents were randomly assigned to respond about two leading IT companies, chosen for the study. Results of multiple regressions reveal that the symbolic attributes significantly predict the level of attractiveness of an organization, with dimensions like competence and sophistication playing an important role as major predictors for both the samples. Students, being a naïve job seeker, considered excitement as another key predictor for attractiveness. Based on the results implications for practice are discussed.