Hu, Yang ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2027-8491, Denier, Nicole ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8905-1899, Ding, Lei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9749-6641, Tarafdar, Monideepa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2831-1364, Konnikov, Alla ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3448-4969, Hughes, Karen D ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8581-350X, Hu, Shenggang ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3528-4800, Knowles, Bran ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2554-1896, Shi, Enze, Alshehabi Al-Ani, Jabir ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0553-2538, Rets, Irina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8832-0962, Kong, Linglong ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3011-9216, Yu, Dengdeng ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0041-4727, Dai, Hongsheng and Jiang, Bei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0033-839X (2024) Language in job advertisements and the reproduction of labor force gender and racial segregation. PNAS Nexus, 3 (12).

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Abstract

Job advertisements (ads) represent the first point of contact between employers and job seekers. By signaling characteristics expected of an ideal candidate, job ads “gatekeep” the labor force and configure its composition. Meanwhile, labor force composition can also shape the wording of job ads. This study develops a multidimensional inventory of gender and EDI (equality, diversity, inclusion) language in job ads. Applying this inventory, it adopts an instrumental-variable approach to disentangle the reciprocal relationships between gender/EDI language in job ads and labor force gender/racial composition. Drawing on the analysis of 28.6 million job ads in the United Kingdom in combination with labor force statistics between 2018 and 2023, the findings reveal three distinct mechanisms through which the bidirectional interplay between language in job ads and labor force composition (re)produces or disrupts labor force gender/racial segregation. They highlight both the benefits and limitations of intervening in the language used in job ads to help reduce labor force gender/racial segregation.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae526
School/Department:	School of Science, Technology and Health
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/11166

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