Being interested in the gender gap in the labor market, we (Maria Mavlikeeva and I) were intrigued by the somewhat counterintuitive observation in the literature and the result of our meta-analysis of correspondence studies: On average, women are more likely to be invited for job interviews than men (see Fig. 1). This result is at odds with the overall gender gap in the labor market, which favors men.
Fig. 1. Funnel plot of risk ratio (left) and odds ratio (right) of callback for female compared to male. Each dot represents an estimate of this effect from each correspondence study.
To explain this counterintuitive result, we developed a hypothesis based on group identity theory: As recruiters may favor applicants of their gender, the predominance of female recruiters is responsible for a higher rate of women being invited for job interviews than men. We used data from our large-scale correspondence study to test this hypothesis. In this correspondence study, we randomly varied the gender of the applicant (male or female applicant name) on the resumes sent in response to real job openings; then, we measured the rate of callbacks for interviews.
As expected, we found that female applicants were more likely to receive callbacks for interviews. We also observed that the majority of the contact persons responsible for the recruitment process in our sample were female. But perhaps most importantly, we found that if the recruiter and applicant were of the same gender, the probability of the applicant being invited for an interview increased (see Fig. 2). These findings suggest gender-based in-group favoritism in the recruitment process.
As expected, we found that female applicants were more likely to receive callbacks for interviews. We also observed that the majority of the contact persons responsible for the recruitment process in our sample were female. But perhaps most importantly, we found that if the recruiter and applicant were of the same gender, the probability of the applicant being invited for an interview increased (see Fig. 2). These findings suggest gender-based in-group favoritism in the recruitment process.
Fig. 2 Gender preferences in callbacks (Callback rate in percent, number of resumes sent in square brackets).
The evidence of in-group favoritism in the recruitment process offers a promising avenue for addressing gender-based hiring discrimination. Ensuring that recruiters' positions at various levels are equally appealing to all genders can help to decrease gender-based bias during the selection stage of the recruitment process for other applicants. Moreover, incorporating discussions of in-group bias, regardless of gender, in diversity training could be beneficial to equalize employment opportunities.
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