Internet Applicants to the State of Washington: A Demographic Analysis

Abstract

Voluminous information is available regarding the makeup of the U.S. workforce, primarily through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Bureau of Labor Statistics ( www.bls.gov ) and the U.S. Census Bureau ( www.census.gov ). Additionally, many research studies have examined the factors influencing career and job choice. Despite this, surprisingly little published research exists describing the numerical makeup of job applicants. With the 2006 implementation of regulations by the DOL Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and similar rules proposed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), it is important for U.S. employers to be able to quickly produce detailed information regarding job applicants. This article describes in detail demographic patterns for individuals who used the state of Washington's electronic application system. Hopefully, this data will encourage organizations to ensure their systems are capable of easily producing similar information.