IT Recruiting Practices as Retention Predictors: Can Recruiters Make a Difference to Potential IT Employees?

The initial interaction between recruiters and potential employees can make a significant difference in not only whether these potential employees will join this particular company but how they project their duration of stay at this particular company. 278 potential IT employees who are graduating from a major Midwest university in the United States were asked to evaluate 40 commonly presented human resource practices during the recruitment process such as their future job nature, training and opportunities for advancement. The results show that among all practices, competitive salary ranks the highest while opportunities for professional growth, and high respect and fair treatment come second and third, respectively. The results also demonstrate that age, performance measurement and training are statistically significant and positively related to their duration of intended stay in this job; compensation and personal factors are also statistically significant but negatively related to the duration of intended stay in that job.