Recruiting Women in the Workplace: A Review of Empirical Research

Many factors may influence women’s decision to apply to a given job, including attributes of the organization or industry, characteristics of a job and the depth of information provided, how an ideal candidate is described, recruiter characteristics, leadership characteristics, and previous experiences with the organization. In the contemporary workplace, employers and recruiters continue to engage in actions and decisions (such as stating preference for a given gender or engaging in gender bias) that affect the recruitment of women. A variety of theoretical frameworks have been used in this literature, especially those pertaining to discrimination, person-environment fit, and homophily. We provide actionable recommendations to improve women’s recruitment and suggest promising research avenues to address ongoing challenges in creating a more diverse workforce.