Results
The study included 270 RVNs working or considering working in clinical veterinary practice in the UK . Out of the 270 RVNs , 90 ( 33 %) completed the small-general job advertisement questionnaire , 90 ( 33 %) completed the large-general job advertisement questionnaire and 90 ( 33 %) completed the large-specific job advertisement questionnaire . All data generated from the questionnaires , for each variable of interest , were eligible for analysis .
Kruskal – Wallis tests demonstrated that the credibility of the information , satisfaction with the information and attraction to the organisation were all significantly affected by the amount of information and specificity of the information provided in the different types of advertisement ( p < 0.001 ).
Table 4 ( see link on page 58 ) is a cross-tabulation showing the advertisement type and the number of RVNs who would apply for the advertised job position based on the information provided .
Chi-squared tests indicated that there was a significant difference between the types of advertisement in the number of RVNs who would apply for the advertised job position ( p < 0.001 ). Conclusively , in relation to the large-specific advertisement , 69 ( 76.7 %) RVNs would apply for the job position but 21 ( 23.3 %) would not ( Figure 4 , see link on page 58 ).
The results of the manipulation check chi-squared test were satisfactory , with the exception of those for item 3 , which failed to produce the expected outcome .
One optional free-text question was included in the survey and the responses were grouped by their main themes . Limited responses generated various similar themes , with respondents expressing the need for the advertisement to include reference to the work pattern , perks and benefits , and opportunities for career development , to generate further interest in the position . The size of the veterinary team and the location of the job , among a handful of other attributes , were also considered essential in generating positive interest .
Discussion
To the authors ' knowledge , this is the first study to investigate how the amount of information and the specificity of information provided in a job advertisement influence RVNs in the UK . The results of this study confirm that providing more detailed information in a job advertisement can effectively help to end the information search early and prevent jobseekers from sourcing information from non-company-controlled sources .
Jobseekers often infer the quality of a job position based on the organisation ' s reputation and the information obtained from a job advertisement [ 23 , 24 ] . In the initial stages of recruitment , job advertisements may be the only source of media available for jobseekers to assess their match with an organisation [ 5 ] . This is particularly important for organisations lacking a prominent reputation , for example , small-chain veterinary organisations or independent practices . Jobseekers may have a limited perception of the organisation and so must base their opinion solely on the information provided in the advertisement .
To mediate the relationship between recruitment information and jobseekers ' intentions to pursue employment , effective recruitment advertising must focus on the credibility of the recruitment communication , that is , the extent to which the receiver of the information perceives the organisation and the job advertisement to be a trustworthy source of information [ 5 , 11 , 12 ] . In this study , the data showed there was a significant difference in the level of perceived credibility of the information among the advertisement types ( p < 0.001 ). The large-specific advertisement was perceived to be the most credible ( median 4.5 ), while the large-general advertisement ( median 3 ) and the small-general advertisement ( median 2.5 ) were perceived to be less credible . These results support those of Acarlar and Bilgiç [ 5 ] , who found that large advertisements providing additional information about compensation , benefits and organisational culture are considered more credible than those that do not . In addition , the supplementary information must be specific , rather than general , to have a positive impact on job pursuit [ 5 , 6 ] . By increasing the amount of information and the specificity of the information provided in a job advertisement , organisations appear more attractive , as the perceived credibility of the information source increases .
Organisations can buy recruitment advertising slots to promote job vacancies externally [ 25 ] . It is important for organisations to understand the efficacy of detailed job advertisements and the right information to include , such as work pattern , salary , perks and benefits , as the cost of advertising space is frequently based on the number of words or the general size of the advertisement [ 25 ] . This influences the value of purchasing an advertising slot , as there is little value if applicants do not want to apply for the job [ 25 ] .
Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference in the level of satisfaction with the information across the advertisement types ( p < 0.001 ). The largespecific advertisement was perceived to satisfy RVNs ' information needs ( median 4 ) more than the largegeneral advertisement ( median 3 ) and the small-general advertisement ( median 2 ). To optimise recruitment marketing costs and to improve the quality of hires , veterinary organisations should include comprehensive and specific information to satisfy potential jobseekers ' information needs and help end their job search [ 15 ] .
56 Veterinary Nursing Journal