Saim

Volume 21 Number 1 March 2013

International Journal of Selection and Assessment

Extending Technology Acceptance Model to the E-recruitment Context in Iran
Kia Kashi and Connie Zheng
Deakin Graduate School of Business, Faculty of Business and Law, Deakin University, 70 Elgar Road, Burwood,
Melbourne, Vic. 3125, Australia. [e-mail]

Using a sample of 332 job applicants in Iran, this study integrates Technology Acceptance
Model (TAM) and signaling theory to explain factors influencing applicants’ behavioral intentions to apply for jobs online. Of the two main constructs of TAM, perceived usefulness was found to have a significant impact on applicants’ behavioral intentions, while perceived ease of use was not. Based on the signaling theory, impression of the organizational website appeared to create interests in organization as a potential employer; hence, prompt applicants to apply for jobs. These results extend our understanding of the online recruitment in different context and provide further insights with regard to possible effects of website features on applicants’ attractions toward organizations operating in Iran.

1. Introduction

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ue to the advances in internet technology in the early 1990s, we have witnessed a transition from the conventional methods of employee recruitment to ‘Electronic Recruitment’ (García-Izquierdo, Aguinis,
& Ramos-Villagrasa, 2010; Pfieffelmann, Wagner, &
Libkuman, 2010). Hooper (2007) reports that job seekers now prefer using internet to search and apply for jobs. Many consider online recruitment as a useful method of instantly obtaining a wide range of organization and job-related information (Sylva & Mol, 2009).
Online recruiting and hiring have not only transformed the way companies attract new employees, but also changed the decision-making process in job application
(Viswesvaran, 2003).
Although current trends point to the growing importance of organizations’

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