THE EFFECT OF ETHICAL SIGNALS ON RECRUITMENT ...

process. This may require interviewer training and awareness. Future researchers might
consider examining whether or not training recruiters to be ethical presents a more
ethically sound picture to the applicant. Additionally, managers should take an active
role in “managing” the ethical information that applicants receive during the recruitment
process. Changes in recruitment practices (such as training organizational
representatives) can be relatively low-cost and low-risk (compared to increasing salaries
or benefits), and can improve applicant attraction to the organization (Rynes & Barber,
1990).
Finally, organizational leaders who value ethics should “walk the walk.” In other
words, instead of simply posting a code of ethics, managers should demonstrate
ethicality with their actions. Above all, the research findings in this study suggest that
managers should strive to minimize unethical behaviors, since they appear to harm
attraction more than ethical behaviors help. All of the above actions will send a signal of
ethicality to a savvy applicant who has thoroughly researched the organization. Similar
to how the organization will suffer economic consequences (such as decreased sales) as
a result of unethical practices (i.e., Laczniak & Murphy, 1985), the organization will also
suffer consequences in the recruitment arena due to unethical practices. Specifically,
applicants will not be as attracted to them.
Future Research
Future research should examine other individual difference moderators. For
example, individual religious beliefs, or “religiosity,” would be interesting to examine in
the context of ethics and recruitment outcomes. I would expect that those with deeply
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