The determinants of job seekers' reputation perceptions

Although job seekers' reputation perceptions may be based on different fact ors than other constituents (e.g., investors, consumers), we know little ab out the antecedents of job seekers' reputation perceptions. The present stu dy utilizes verbal protocol analysis to explore the factors that job seeker s consider when evaluating employers' reputations. Results from this qualit ative investigation are complemented and cross-validated with an experiment al policy capturing study and a field study of recruiting organizations. Da ta From all three methodologies suggest that some factors affecting job see kers' reputation perceptions are quite different from factors that have bee n revealed in previous reputation research, which has Focused primarily on executives. For example, results from the present study reveal that the typ e of industry in which a firm operates, the opportunities that a firm provi des for employee development, and organizational culture affect job seekers ' reputation perceptions. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.