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Trial Start Date September 01, 2025 November 18, 2025
Last Published August 22, 2025 06:12 AM November 17, 2025 01:05 PM
Intervention Start Date September 01, 2025 November 18, 2025
Intervention End Date September 30, 2025 March 31, 2026
Experimental Design (Public) This study examines how job posting language influences who applies for open positions. The partnering organization will vary the way educational qualifications are described across three versions of the same job: (1) a posting that requires a bachelor’s degree, (2) a posting that omits any mention of a degree requirement, and (3) a posting that explicitly welcomes candidates with diverse pathways to skills and/or notes that skill assessments may be part of the process. Job openings will be advertised as part of the company’s regular hiring process in two occupations: software engineering and digital marketing. Applicants will encounter one version of the job posting at random, either through direct outreach or through the company’s career site. Application data will then be used to evaluate how the different postings affect the diversity, skills, and backgrounds of the applicant pool. This study examines how job posting language influences who applies for open positions. The partnering organization will vary the way educational qualifications are described across three versions of the same job: (1) a posting that requires a bachelor’s degree, (2) a posting that omits any mention of a degree requirement, and (3) a posting that explicitly welcomes candidates with diverse pathways to skills and/or notes that skill assessments may be part of the process. Job openings will be advertised as part of the company’s regular hiring process in four occupations: software engineering, sales, office administration, and digital marketing. Applicants will encounter one version of the job posting at random, either through direct outreach or through the company’s career site. Application data will then be used to evaluate how the different postings affect the diversity, skills, and backgrounds of the applicant pool.
Planned Number of Observations 10,000-15,000 individual candidates reached out via email (depending on qualified candidates in the pool). Additional organic job‑board visitors will also be randomized; the final total N will exceed 10,000. We will report the realized organic N and arm counts at the end of fielding. ~10,000 individual candidates reached out via email (depending on qualified candidates in the pool) and additional organic job‑board visitors; the final total N will exceed 10,000. We will report the realized organic N and arm counts at the end of fielding.
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms Outreach sample (fixed N = 10,000; equal allocation, 20% each): Degree required — 2,000 Degree silent — 2,000 Skill‑based (welcoming only) — 2,000 Skill‑based (skill‑assessment only) — 2,000 Skill‑based (welcoming + assessment) — 2,000 Organic job‑board visitors (N unknown ex ante; equal allocation planned, 20% each): Degree required — ≈20% of realized organic N Degree silent — ≈20% of realized organic N Skill‑based (welcoming only) — ≈20% of realized organic N Skill‑based (skill‑assessment only) — ≈20% of realized organic N Skill‑based (welcoming + assessment) — ≈20% of realized organic Sample ( N = 10,000; equal allocation, 1/3 each, may vary based on application rates): Degree required — ~3,300 Degree silent — ~3,300 Skill‑based (welcoming + assessment) — ~3,300
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