Recruitment in Multicultural Societies

The aim of this project is to identify psychological mechanisms in the recruitment process that may hinder an accurate and fair judgment of the qualifications of applicants in multinational settings. It is sponsored by the Norwegian Research Council to extend our earlier research on psychological and cultural aspects of self-presentation in employment situations.

For multinational organizations operating in a global labour market, knowledge in this area may increase the efficiency of recruitment and reduce the risk of discrimination. In collaboration with our international partners, we are investigating how applicants from different cultures encounter the employment situation.

Immigration trends to Norway show an increase in labour migrants from non-EU countries. Several studies have shown that immigrants to Norway have more problems finding jobs than native Norwegians. Our project aims to determine how immigrant groups in Norway evaluate efficient self promotion in employment settings with focus on the interview and test situation, and how these evaluations compare to those of ethnic Norwegians. We also examine how the self-presentation, work values and acculturation strategies of job applicants may influence their chances of being hired.

First International Workshop on Recruitment in Multicultural Socities (PDF)

Presentations at The First International Workshop on Recruitment in Multicultural Socities

Preliminary results:

“Ethnicity” in an anthropological perspective (PDF)