Unpacking the Beliefs Behind Job Recruitment Decisions

Last registered on July 23, 2026
View Trial History

Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Unpacking the Beliefs Behind Job Recruitment Decisions
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0019190
Initial registration date
July 20, 2026

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
July 23, 2026, 8:14 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
Brazil
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Pedro Pires
Affiliation
Nova School of Business and Economics
Contact Primary Investigator

Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Priscila De Oliveira
PI Affiliation
Nova School of Business and Economics
Contact Investigator

Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2026-08-01
End date
2027-12-31
Keywords
Behavior, Labor
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This study examines how beliefs and perceptions influence recruitment decisions. We conduct an online survey experiment in Brazil with professionals involved in hiring, who evaluate a series of hypothetical job candidates. Selected features of the candidate profiles and the information available to respondents are randomly varied. The study measures respondents’ evaluations of candidates, recruitment recommendations, and expectations about different stages of the hiring process. The experimental design allows us to estimate whether providing additional information changes respondents’ beliefs and choices. We will also examine whether these effects vary across respondents, candidate profiles, and organizational contexts.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
De Oliveira, Priscila and Pedro Pires. 2026. "Unpacking the Beliefs Behind Job Recruitment Decisions." AEA RCT Registry. July 23. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.19190-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)

Intervention Start Date
2026-08-01
Intervention End Date
2027-12-31

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Recruiters' assessments of hypothetical applicants and their recruitment decisions. These include overall candidate evaluations, recommendations to advance applicants to subsequent stages of the hiring process, and beliefs about hiring and employment outcomes.
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
We conduct an online survey experiment with HR workers and area managers. Respondents evaluate hypothetical applicant profiles and make hiring-related assessments. Applicant characteristics are experimentally varied across profiles. HR professionals are additionally randomized across a control group and information treatment groups designed to shift beliefs relevant to recruitment decisions. The design allows us to estimate how applicant characteristics and information affect evaluations, beliefs, and stated recruitment choices.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Randomization done by online survey platform.
Randomization Unit
Individual respondent for the information treatments. Applicant profile within respondent for resume characteristics.
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
N/A
Sample size: planned number of observations
1,200 respondents (800 HR workers and 400 area managers).
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
HR workers will be randomly assigned to the control group (300 observations) or to one of two information treatments: Treatment Arm 1 (300 observations) or Treatment Arm 2 (200 observations).
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Institutional Review Board, Nova School of Business and Economics
IRB Approval Date
2024-04-22
IRB Approval Number
2024106
Analysis Plan