Asian,Hispanic,and Native American Job Candidates: Prescreened or Screened within the Selection Process

Abstract

Hypothetical job candidates varying in chronological age and national origin were created through the use of paper credentials designed to depict them as candidates for either a teaching position or an assistant principal position. These credentials were mailed to a national random sample of high school principals, and these principals were requested to screen the credentials of candidates as if these persons were seeking a position within their school building. Ratings of principals were cast into a 3×3×2 factorial design and submitted to a multivariate analysis of variance. Results indicate that screening decisions made by high school principals are influenced by the chronological age and national origin of candidates and type of focal position sought. These results are examined through the lens of social distance theory, and this theory is used to interpolate effects likely for future job candidates at the screening stage of the selection process.

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