The Uneasy Alliance between Employers and the Job Service

Abstract

The recruitment of highly qualified applicants is essential to the success of any selection system. A national survey was conducted to assess the extent to which manufacturing employers view public employment agencies as playing a viable role in their recruitment process. This study examined the characteristics of users and nonusers of the Job Service, the extent and nature of use, and the employers' assessment of the services provided. The data indicate that the limited success of the Job Service in increasing the number and quality of positions listed is due in large part to a failure to inspire the confidence of employers. The availability of no cost referrals was valued, but employers considered prescreening to be inadequate and criticized the quality and motivation of referred candidates. These results tend to support data and anecdotal evidence reported by other authors.