Trust Me: I Am a Recruiter—An Investigation of Antecedents and Consequences of Initial Trust in Online Recruitment

Actively searching for potential talent via direct approaches by recruiters in social network sites is increasingly gaining importance. Professional networks enable recruiters to make direct contact with promising candidates for advertised positions. However, the online context always entails an increased risk for participants, especially with regard to the disclosure of personal data and sensitive information, and thus reinforces the need for trust-building mechanisms. This paper investigates the role of initial trust in the context of online direct approaches via professional networks. Based on the initial trust model, we examined which factors influence how much a candidate trusts an online recruiter. After these factors were incorporated into our model, the effect of initial trust on the candidate’s behavioral intention to respond to the online recruiter’s message was investigated. We conducted an online questionnaire and recruited participants via social network sites (N = 264). The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Our results indicate positive relationships of the disposition to trust, trust-assuring argument, and structural assurance with the candidate’s initial trust in the online recruiter. Finally, the hypothesized positive relationship between initial trust and intention to reply can be confirmed.