As competition for high-quality talent intensifies, understanding why prospective applicants are attracted to certain employers has become a critical strategic concern for organizations. This study examines the influence of employer branding on organizational attractiveness, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of organizational image and organizational trust. Drawing on Signaling Theory, the research investigates how employer branding signals influence business administration students’ perceptions of a firm’s values, credibility, and reliability in the pre-employment stage. An internet convenience sampling method was employed in the study: 250 questionnaires were distributed, and 239 valid responses were received and used for further analysis. Data were collected from university students in Taiwan and analyzed using SPSS. The findings reveal that employer branding has a significant positive effect on organizational attractiveness, both directly and indirectly. While a favorable organizational image generates initial interest, organizational trust plays a pivotal mediating role by transforming branding signals into genuine organizational attractiveness. These results underscore the importance of relational and trust-based mechanisms in employer branding strategies, extending prior research by highlighting how employer branding functions beyond image formation to foster trust among potential applicants during the pre-hire phase.

Authors:
Rehema Zimba, National Quemoy University, Taiwan
Fanny Anggelia, National Quemoy University, Taiwan
Yen Yufang, National Quemoy University, Taiwan
Grant Zimba, National Quemoy University, Taiwan
Priscilla Syelby Julieta, National Quemoy University, Taiwan

About the Presenter(s)
Miss Rehema Zimba is currently a Masters of Business Administration student at National Quemoy University, Taiwan. The author’s research interest focuses on examining how employer branding influences organizational attractiveness among prospective applicants during the pre-employment stage. The interest is driven by the increasing competition for high-quality talent and the need for organizations to adopt trust-based employer branding strategies that support sustainable recruitment outcomes.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Tuesday Schedule

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