Tufts University is home to more than 45 interdisciplinary centers and institutes focused on a broad range of topics, from medicine, science, and technology to animals and the environment. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) is one such center that focuses research in the field of youth civic engagement. CIRCLE is part of Tufts University’s Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life.
Tisch College’s CIRCLE received an AmeriCorps 2015 National Service and Civic Engagement Research Competition grant to conduct a field experiment exploring whether listing national service on a job candidate’s application materials had a positive or significant impact on the prospect of getting a job. Through a supplemental grant, the CIRCLE researchers are exploring the perceptions of AmeriCorps service among hiring managers using surveys, in-depth interviews, and a resume-based experiment to examine the Employers of National Service program.
The study found there was not a significant difference between resumes when it comes to callbacks based on national service. Of the 2,010 jobs applied for using fictitious resumes, there was a 20 percent callback rate across resume types. When controlling for factors such as race, gender, city, sector, and occupation, there was a significant difference when it came to callbacks based on education. The study found that a college degree was used as a “signal” for implicit qualities and earned skills regardless of AmeriCorps experience. The likelihood of getting a callback for a job was a slightly higher if a resume listing national service also listed a high school and college degree.
For the supplemental study, the researchers’ survey found employers held two prevailing perceptions for why people pursued AmeriCorps: 1) “they genuinely want to help others, learn about causes and communities, and grow as a leader;” and 2) “they are young and recent college graduates who think it’s good to give back to the community.” In addition, the study found that:
- A college degree was very important to most employers.
- Employers have a preference toward “somebody they don’t have to train.”
- If hiring managers were familiar with AmeriCorps, it stood out to them.
Finally, the resume experiment with the Employers of National Service Network showed differential callback rates: 17 percent of resumes listing service received callbacks, compared to only 8 percent of resumes with no service.
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