The importance of individual differences for applicant attraction: a literature review and avenues for future research

This paper presents a systematic literature review of the research on individual differences on applicant attraction. After capturing the relevance of the research field, we analyze and operationalize different terms for applicant attraction. Our research shows that applicant attraction is a comprehensive term for (prospective) applicants’ perceptions, intentions, and behavior based on different stages of the recruitment process. We also analyze applied theories and frameworks on the basis of which we develop five broad categories that represent the applied theories and frameworks in research on individual differences on applicant attraction. To structure the broad variety of individual differences on applicant attraction, we develop a classification for individual differences. Based on the analysis we identified different avenues for future research. Beside theoretical and methodical research issues, gaps concerning applicant’s view of the recruitment process, a lack of research on specific individual differences as well as practice-oriented gaps are identified.