Rejected and Resentful: How Job-Seekers Connect Negative Recruitment Process Experiences and Brands
(2025) BUSN39 20251Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- Purpose: This study aims to contribute to the understanding of how job-seekers relate their negative recruitment process experiences to brands.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopts a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews, conducted with thirteen current university students actively seeking employment in degree-requiring fields. The data is abductively analysed through the lens of Brand Relationship Theory (Fournier, 1998).
Findings: While job-seekers attempt or claim to compartmentalise their relationships to a brand as candidates and consumers, negative emotions from recruitment processes may affect the brand image in a consumption setting, as “petty” emotions cause negative associations and behaviours... (More) - Purpose: This study aims to contribute to the understanding of how job-seekers relate their negative recruitment process experiences to brands.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopts a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews, conducted with thirteen current university students actively seeking employment in degree-requiring fields. The data is abductively analysed through the lens of Brand Relationship Theory (Fournier, 1998).
Findings: While job-seekers attempt or claim to compartmentalise their relationships to a brand as candidates and consumers, negative emotions from recruitment processes may affect the brand image in a consumption setting, as “petty” emotions cause negative associations and behaviours towards the brand. This spill-over of emotions also intensifies if the candidate has proceeded further in a recruitment process before their rejection, and if the candidate has generally sent out a high number of applications. Lastly, applicants make broad assumptions about companies’ work environments from their interactions with recruiters, which may cause indirect effects on brand image.
Practical Implications: Poorly handled recruitment experiences can create emotional dissonance and affect future consumer behaviour, while respectful and consistent communication can strengthen brand relationships. As such, companies must treat candidate experience with the same strategic care as customer experience, especially in a competitive and emotionally charged job market.
Originality/Value: The study adds to the rarely explored bridge between employer branding and brand image by arguing that the recruitment process is a critical touchpoint to maintain brand relationships and build a strong brand image. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9206763
- author
- Wallinder, Olle LU and Facchinelli, Linda LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BUSN39 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Recruitment processes, brand image, employer branding, human resource management, rejection, brand relationships.
- language
- English
- id
- 9206763
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-30 15:41:49
- date last changed
- 2025-06-30 15:41:49
@misc{9206763,
abstract = {{Purpose: This study aims to contribute to the understanding of how job-seekers relate their negative recruitment process experiences to brands.
Design/Methodology/Approach: This study adopts a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews, conducted with thirteen current university students actively seeking employment in degree-requiring fields. The data is abductively analysed through the lens of Brand Relationship Theory (Fournier, 1998).
Findings: While job-seekers attempt or claim to compartmentalise their relationships to a brand as candidates and consumers, negative emotions from recruitment processes may affect the brand image in a consumption setting, as “petty” emotions cause negative associations and behaviours towards the brand. This spill-over of emotions also intensifies if the candidate has proceeded further in a recruitment process before their rejection, and if the candidate has generally sent out a high number of applications. Lastly, applicants make broad assumptions about companies’ work environments from their interactions with recruiters, which may cause indirect effects on brand image.
Practical Implications: Poorly handled recruitment experiences can create emotional dissonance and affect future consumer behaviour, while respectful and consistent communication can strengthen brand relationships. As such, companies must treat candidate experience with the same strategic care as customer experience, especially in a competitive and emotionally charged job market.
Originality/Value: The study adds to the rarely explored bridge between employer branding and brand image by arguing that the recruitment process is a critical touchpoint to maintain brand relationships and build a strong brand image.}},
author = {{Wallinder, Olle and Facchinelli, Linda}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Rejected and Resentful: How Job-Seekers Connect Negative Recruitment Process Experiences and Brands}},
year = {{2025}},
}