The article examines the impact of gender-neutral language in job advertisements on female applicant rates in the tech industry. Conducted in partnership with a Spanish-speaking online platform, the study reveals that ads using gender-neutral language attract a higher proportion of female applicants for non-remote positions in fields with moderate female participation. Additionally, a separate survey experiment indicates that gender-neutral language enhances interest in the job, perceptions of job suitability, and the belief in the advertiser’s inclusive culture, with effects comparable to promoting remote work and surpassing explicit diversity statements. This article is important for our project because it demonstrates how tone and language in job advertisements really impacts the amount of applicants for that job, which is one of the more important research problems we are trying to explore.

This article highlights the persistent issue of age bias in hiring despite a nationwide worker shortage. Older job seekers, even those with suitable qualifications, often face discrimination, made even worse by digital recruiting practices on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. Legal challenges to age discrimination are difficult and costly, and recent court decisions have made it harder for applicants to prove bias. Despite some corporate and legal efforts to address the issue, many older workers, particularly women, struggle with prolonged joblessness and financial insecurity. Initiatives to combat age discrimination include lawsuits, advocacy, and regulatory actions, but significant obstacles remain. This article is crucial to our project because it discusses evidence of age bias in recruitment processes, which is something we are looking to explore further through the data we have been collecting.

The article emphasizes the critical impact of gender-specific language in job advertisements on women’s perceptions of job desirability and their sense of inclusion in fields dominated by men. It argues that the use of masculine language, such as “leader,” “competitive,” and “dominant,” in job postings dissuades women from applying for these roles by signaling a lack of gender diversity inclusivity and inclusivity. This type of language perpetuates existing gender disparities in the workforce, as women may perceive these positions as incompatible with them due to the language used in the job announcements. The researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of actual job postings across a wide range of industries to gauge the prevalence of language that is considered masculine or feminine. Their findings revealed that fields typically dominated by men tended to use language that was more masculine in nature. To further understand the impact of such language on people’s perceptions, the researchers carried out a series of carefully controlled experiments. These experiments involved modifying the language used in job advertisements and studying how these changes influenced participants’ views. Participants were asked to assess job ads containing different levels of masculine and feminine language, and their feedback on the appeal of these jobs and their sense of inclusivity was documented. The outcomes highlighted that women were less attracted to job postings with masculine language and anticipated feeling less connected and included in such work environments. This valuable resource delves into the impact of gendered language in job postings, shedding light on how words can influence perceptions and behaviors within professional environments. It prompts us to explore the far-reaching effects of language on workplace dynamics. Regarding the team’s dataset, this resource can help us identify which industries among the 50,000 job vacancies in Los Angeles may inadvertently miss out on well-qualified applicants because of the absence of gender-neutral or inclusive language in job bulletins.

I found this reading from the link found above. The authors were trying to assess the race and gender bias that are taking place in the hiring process. The article dives into how they were able to identify if there was some bias in play. At the end of the article, they came to the conclusion that employers did have implicit bias in their hiring processes. They stated that this was due to the quick nature of the hiring process, causing the employers to resort back to their cognitive shortcuts. 

I thought this article could give an interesting perspective on top of our data set and research. One way that we could use this is to look at the job postings to see if there is any language that could direct certain applicant pools away from applying. Additionally, I thought that getting a secondary dataset of maybe an applicant pool for a specific position in our original dataset could be very interesting to look at. Lastly, I thought that their process for evaluating the bias in the hiring process was very well executed.

In this article, Don Lee analyzes job market trends in California, with a focus on the Greater Los Angeles area. The report highlights a significant growth in technology sector jobs and a decline in manufacturing positions, reflecting broader economic shifts. It also covers changes in hiring practices, including an increase in remote work opportunities and the unique challenges faced by different groups of job seekers, such as young workers and those lacking advanced skills. Lee discusses how these trends are reshaping the labor market, creating a demand for new skills and altering employment patterns.

The article is particularly useful for understanding the dynamics of the local economy and the various factors influencing job availability and employment trends. It provides valuable data on the current state of the job market, offering insights into the economic forces at play. However, while the report is informative, it could benefit from a deeper exploration of potential policy responses or solutions to the challenges identified, such as addressing skills gaps or improving job accessibility for disadvantaged groups. This analysis is important for policymakers, business leaders, and job seekers aiming to navigate and respond to the evolving job landscape in California.

This article by Steve Lohr discusses the decreasing importance of a four-year college degree for securing jobs in the U.S. labor market. Notable companies, like IBM and Accenture, are increasingly hiring based on skills and experience rather than educational credentials. For instance, Shekinah Griffith, a 21-year-old with an associate degree, earns over $100,000 at IBM as a cybersecurity technical specialist. This trend, aimed at promoting diversity and reducing inequality, is partly driven by a tight labor market and social justice movements. Research from the Burning Glass Institute shows a decline in job listings requiring a four-year degree from 51% in 2017 to 44% in 2021. Companies like Microsoft and Google are also adjusting their hiring practices, although progress varies. Efforts to eliminate degree requirements face challenges, such as ingrained corporate habits and the need for clear job skill definitions. This article is important for our project because it suggests that education is not as significant of a decision maker anymore, which is something we can look at through our data and determine whether this requirement has loosened over the years. This can help us project what future expectations are regarding this circumstance, which can help us determine what common hiring practices are.

The article analyzes the skills requirements in the U.S. energy sector job postings, specifically comparing the value of soft versus hard skills. The authors used a database of job postings in four occupations (management, financial operations, computer and mathematical, and engineering) in the U.S. between 2010 and 2019 by an employment analytics firm to investigate the three areas that could answer the research question of: “Do soft skills or hard skills matter more to the energy industry firms?” The authors reviewed current literature, data collection, and firm performance based on certain skills. Soft skills were categorized as the primary skills pertaining to interpersonal relationships such as people management, project management, and cognitive skills, whereas hard skills were classified as computer skills, engineering, and marketing. The article concluded that soft skills do not heavily contribute to firm performance, and rather, hard skills were found to be more valuable during the hiring process. They also found that 65% of postings in the energy sector required education and certifications, yet found that there wasn’t a positive correlation to firm productivity in contrast to work experience. This article would be useful in our project as it provides perspective into how job requirements translate into actual productivity and performance. This can help our project discuss the ways in which employers can revise their postings to attract a wider range of applicants.

This article is a lot more lengthy than the other one I provided. The authors of this article are also trying to see if there is bias in the hiring process. The other article was assessing the implicit bias that plays a role in hiring, this article is diving into the language that could be discouraging minorities from applying to certain positions. The authors found in their research that there are four different programs that automatically evaluate the working in job postings. They evaluated ∼160,000 job bulletins and identified the social psychological research that these four programs were using.  This study is very interesting to read about because it shows the technological processes of evaluating the job bulletins. I thought this could be interesting to further our research because we could use one of the programs mentioned to evaluate a few of the job bulletins that we have in our dataset. I thought that their research processes were very scientific and clever.

I obtained this source through the above link. This source essentially critiques the traditional DEI structure that is currently in place for corporate structures and how it labels individuals as either victims/villains, and promotes a new approach DEI-B which promotes belonging. Additionally Miller highlights the importance of creating an inclusive environment that allows all employees including those in power to feel part of the company. At the same time, it also weighs how critics may think that the focus is on the fact that White employees may feel uncomfortable. This resource utilizes surveys conducted by the Society for HR Management that discuss corporate belonging, and had conversations with people from CDI (Constructive Dialogue Institute) as well as other places. This resource is very important because it sheds light on what exactly employees value in a company, and how company management departments deal with it. This will help us understand how/whether the descriptions are accurately representing a company’s care for each of their employees. It also helps provide a comprehensive understanding of what belonging means and where people feel like they belong.

This article analyzes social inequalities within the high-tech industry, focusing on gender, race, and ethnicity. The authors argue that despite the industry’s progressive reputation, significant disparities persist, particularly affecting women and minority groups. The article highlights how cultural biases and structural barriers limit these groups’ access to leadership positions and high-paying technical roles. The authors use extensive data and case studies to support their analysis, emphasizing the need for more inclusive practices. They argue that while some companies have made progress, systemic issues still need addressing. The work is a critical resource for understanding diversity challenges in tech and calls for more robust policies to promote equity and inclusion. However, the authors could further elaborate on specific strategies to mitigate these disparities. This article is essential for anyone studying workplace diversity and inequality in the tech sector.

The article presents an effective argument highlighting the pervasive racial discrimination in the labor market, particularly affecting recent college graduates. It draws on experimental evidence from a correspondence test to showcase how job candidates with black-sounding names receive significantly fewer interview requests than candidates with white-sounding names, even after adjusting for an extensive range of productivity characteristics. The study emphasizes that this discrimination is particularly stark in roles that involve substantial customer interaction and among candidates with impressive qualifications. The study analyzes discrimination using fictitious resumes with random productivity traits for white—and black-named candidates. It employs recent statistical techniques to test specific discrimination hypotheses. The article holds significance as it brings attention to the prevalent issue of racial discrimination in hiring practices, especially within the backdrop of a tough labor market for recent graduates. Los Angeles, which had high unemployment rates during the study period, classified it as a “loose” labor market. The study finds that the racial gap in interview requests is even more pronounced in such environments. This disparity exacerbates competitive job markets. Consequently, the labor market conditions in Los Angeles may contribute to observed racial discrimination and jobs remaining vacant until either a white candidate interviews or when the market is tighter and being biased is no longer an option. Based on our team’s dataset, we can utilize this resource to try to understand why many high-level job positions remain unfilled in Los Angeles, a city with a 9% African-American and 49% Hispanic/Latino population. Although the specific literature review did not mention Hispanic/Latino names, it’s important to note that individuals with Hispanic/Latino-sounding names also face discrimination in the hiring process due to their names.

This article is very similar to the last one. It is evaluating the language used in job postings. However, this is only looking at jobs postings in the finance industry. This article conducted its research by doing two studies of internship job postings. The two studies are looking into what they call agentic and communal language. They found that women are more likely to apply to jobs that have a high amount of communal language, and a lower amount of agentic language. They also found that the job postings in the finance industry often have higher amounts of agentic language, which contrasts the findings of what the women prefer applying to. This shows an issue in the job bulletins. 

I thought that this article would be good to add to our project because of how direct it is. Since we have 683 job postings in our dataset, we can use some of the finance related job postings to compliment an article assessing how gender bias affects this industry.

The article underlines the significance of corporate culture in the decision-making process for job seekers when they are assessing potential employers. It is often regarded as equally important as the offered salary. The article strongly advocates for companies to convey their cultural values proficiently through job postings to entice appropriate candidates. Additionally, the study sheds light on the difficulties faced by job seekers in evaluating a company’s culture due to information barriers and the challenges associated with defining and communicating organizational culture. The article delves into prior research results that analyze how corporate culture directly affects employee satisfaction. Additionally, it explores the considerable impact of platforms like Glassdoor on shaping and influencing perceptions of company culture. The article is significant because it provides insight into the dynamic nature of job recruitment and the rising emphasis on corporate culture as a tool for attracting talent. Given the increased attention to workplace environments, it is crucial for organizations to master the art of effectively communicating culture, as this can lead to improved hiring outcomes and enhanced employee retention. This resource pertains to the team’s dataset as it may help identify reasons for unfilled essential job positions in a city with a loose labor market.

This article studied a dataset containing job vacancies in the U.S. from 2010-2015 and looked at the various skill requirements across firms and labor markets in their job bulletins. The goal of the research was to understand whether there were major differences in wages across markets and firms and if they were associated with specific skills when controlling for variables like years of education and experience. Another factor the research mentioned was the market trends by region in the U.S.. The authors argued that there were positive correlations between the demanded career-specific skills and cognitive social skills and the pay and firm productivity. Because the paper studied how specific skill sets translated into firm performance and pay, this can give insight into our project about how heterogeneity in skill demands can result in a heterogeneous applicant pool. We can also utilize this paper and dataset as a basis for understanding what may be restricting or attracting applicants when applying to specific jobs, especially in the technology production sector.

This article primarily argues that workplace and job advertising language not only ingrains and sustains gendered expectations, but also impacts the way employers recruit, assess, and promote. The author asserts that verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and phrases can lead to a gender imbalance at the workplace and during hiring processes, and can hold people back from advancing in their careers. The author categorizes specific verbiage and terminology into agentic and communal. Agentic being decisive and proactive, and communal being supportive and warm. The author then highlights how society often perceive men as more agentic, while women as more communal, which can result in hiring and recruitment disparities in specific sectors. This article is especially relevant to our research topic because it discusses the language used in job postings and how they can deter certain demographics of applicants from applying. Incorporating the anecdotes and arguments presented in the article can also strengthen our project’s idea that job criteria should be carefully crafted and worded to increase opportunities for qualified and diverse applicants.

This article argues that in an environment post-COVID where individuals are re-evaluating their careers and looking for better work-life balance, securing stable employment is of key importance. Given the current higher interest rates and upcoming recession, it identifies several job sectors that are still in high demand for employment – including leisure, hospitality, fast food, home healthcare and personal care aides, warehouse workers, truck drivers, green energy workers, and tech workers. It also details each of the wage discrepancies and what is offered for the high demand price of workers at this point. This source credits itself by quotes from CEOs, labor economists, and other qualified professionals regarding what a sustainable economy looks like as well as what weighing benefits and pay means. Each of the people referenced in this article come with their own credibility stamps like their association, place of employment, profession, or educational background. This resource is important as it sheds light on what jobs are available in the present day and what their drawbacks and benefits are. When coupled with the data our group explores, we can make an assessment on the language used in job descriptions that are more keenly searching for positions / why certain job postings have so many open applications when compared to others. The industry insight on which ones are more employee’s market (the employer has an advantage due to high demand), will allow us to make statements on why that may be.

Paul Wiseman explores why Los Angeles has numerous vacant city jobs, focusing on bureaucratic hiring processes, uncompetitive salaries, and high living costs. He argues that these factors deter qualified candidates and contribute to inefficient city services, particularly in critical areas like public safety and sanitation. Wiseman emphasizes that vacancies result in decreased efficiency and public service quality, stressing the need for reforms such as streamlining the hiring process and improving compensation to attract skilled workers.

This article is crucial for understanding the administrative challenges faced by large urban centers like Los Angeles. The analysis is significant for studies on public administration, urban planning, and workforce management, providing insights into how systemic issues impact city operations and public welfare. However, the editorial could benefit from more detailed suggestions on reforming the hiring process and addressing salary disparities.