Sounding “Different”: The Role of Sociolinguistic Cues in Evaluating Job Candidates
Faye K. Cocchiara, Myrtle P. Bell, Wendy J. Casper
Human Resource Management · 2016 · Volume 55 · Issue 3
Abstract
An increasingly diverse labor pool has increased the likelihood that HR recruiters will encounter job seekers who speak with different dialects. Prior studies have investigated the effects of applicant dialect on employment selection outcomes. In this article, we merge this research with stereotyping, “modern racism,” and sociolinguistics literatures to formulate propositions surrounding two questions of interest: (1) Do prospective employers categorize job applicants using sociolinguistic cues? and (2) If so, what impact does this categorization have on evaluations of applicant employability? We believe this research can provide significant insights into HR practice as discriminatory behaviors change and adapt to fit social norms, particularly in employee recruitment and selection contexts. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords
employee recruitment, sociolinguistic cues, implicit bias, modern racism, dialect, foreign accent
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