How Selectivity Shapes Selection

2023-02-01

2024-06-30

Hypothesis 1: The treatment (emphasis on selectivity) will deter students from applying for the position.
Hypothesis 2: The treatment (emphasis on selectivity) will deter women and children of immigrants from countries that have a lower GDP/capita than the European Union (current IMF estimate for 2022).
We will test these hypotheses one-sided according to the way they are specified above.

To test whether emphasizing the selectivity of a position deters applicants and alters the composition of applicants, we conduct an RCT in the context of the bank’s information sessions for its commercial (KV), information technology (IT), mediamatics (MM), and Digital Business (DB) apprenticeship positions. The information sessions discuss the application process, applicant qualifications, the content of the apprenticeships, and the work environment at the bank.
The treatment will have four components:
1. Baseline survey: All participating students will take a baseline survey, which asks about basic demographic characteristics, the students’ educational and parental background, perceptions of skill, and baseline beliefs regarding the selectivity of the bank’s positions. Within this survey:
a. The treatment group will receive information on the bank’s selectivity.
b. The control group will receive information on how each week is divided between school days and apprenticeship days. This information is publicly accessible and generally mentioned later during the information event.
2. During the information event, participants will be divided into groups and treatment-participants are again informed about the bank's selectivity.
3. Follow-up survey: At the end of the information session, students will take a follow-up survey, which asks about their experiences that day, impressions of the bank, and knowledge of the bank’s selectivity, and beliefs regarding their qualifications for the apprenticeship. Within the survey:
a. The treatment group will receive information on the bank’s selectivity.
b. The control group will receive information on information sessions held by the bank and the timeline of when students apply to/hear back from the bank. This information is publicly available and previously communicated during the day.
4. Follow-up email: within a few days after the event, each student will receive a personalized email with links to information about the apprenticeships at the bank and where to apply when the call opens. The email to treated students includes two sentences not included to control students that again stress selectivity.

Not available

Randomization done in the office by a computer (using Stata)

For events with subgroups (most events), we randomize individuals into these subgroups. Half of the subgroups will receive treatment. For the minority of events that have no subgroups, we randomize on the event level.

No

14 events with no individual-level (7 per year), the rest of the sample (the vast majority) will have individual-level randomization.

There are 768 slots (unless additional events are added by the bank) in 2023 and similarly many if we can repeat it in 2024. Some students will not show up, some will choose not to participate. Each year, around 625 students will show up and participate.

7 events without further group division are treated, and so are half of the remaining individuals (656 slots, i.e., around 550 participants that show up).
7 events without further group division are treated, and so are half of the remaining individuals (656 slots, i.e., around 550 participants that show up).

With 1250 observations (2 years), we have generally a one-sided MDE of 0.14SD (and 55% power for 0.1SD). With 625 observations (1 year), we have a one-sided MDE of 0.15SD with 59% power. According to the bank, roughly two thirds of information event participants apply, i.e., one third does not apply. With 1250 observations, we have a one-sided MDE of 7 percentage points (and 58% power for 5 pp). With 625 observations, we have a one-sided we have a one-sided MDE of 7 pp with 58% power (and 5 pp with 38% power).