Doctoral Dissertation Research: Academic Performance,Gender and Hiring

Indiana University, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Abstract

Doctoral Dissertation Research: Academic Performance, Gender, and Hiring Research consistently shows that differences in levels of education--e.g., a high school diploma versus a Bachelor's degree--are associated with different labor market outcomes, including earnings and occupational prestige. Scholars do not yet understand whether differences in academic performance among those with Bachelor's degrees also contribute to employment inequalities. This question is an important consideration not only because achievement is stratified within the student population, but also because students differ in the extent to which they invest time and effort in their academic performance. Women, in particular, typically have higher grades and spend more time on academic activities than men, but it is unclear whether these efforts pay off at the point of hiring. Accordingly, this project addresses three key questions: Are there returns to academic performance in the labor market? If so, what are they? And, do these returns vary for men and women? This research can help us understand persistent inequalities between women and men. The research will conduct original, experimental data collected in two related studies to answer these questions. Study 1 is an online audit experiment, also known as a field experiment or correspondence study. Matched pairs of job applications will be sent to approximately 1,250 entry-level employers in five metropolitan areas in the U.S. Applicants' college GPA, gender, and major will be experimentally manipulated to establish their causal effects on several labor market outcomes, including callback rate and potential starting salary. Study 2 is an online survey experiment designed to analyze the mechanisms behind the patterns observed in Study 1. A pool of respondents who are hiring decision-makers at U.S. firms will evaluate the same resumes presented in Study 1 and provide feedback about applicants and their credentials. Taken together, these studies will help explain how and why employers evaluate academic performance for men and women, while potentially uncovering important inequalities in the transition from college to work. This research contributes to sociological research on persistent inequalities as well as has practical implications for human resource and other managers interested in promoting diversity and workplace fairness.