Employer brand image and job application intention under digital discrimination expectations: A gender-moderated conceptual model

Digital recruitment increasingly relies on algorithmic screening and digital-footprint review, raising applicant concerns about biased evaluation. Drawing on signaling theory and on work in social identity threat, this conceptual paper examines the relationship between employer brand image and job application intention. It focuses on conditions of anticipated digital discrimination. Digital discrimination expectation refers to applicants' anticipation that an organization's algorithmic screening and digital footprint practices will disadvantage them based on a protected characteristic. We propose that this expectation weakens the positive relationship between employer brand image and job application intention. Employer brand communication is produced by the employer, and applicants who expect an unfair process have reason to discount it. We further propose that this weakening is more pronounced for female applicants, reflecting differential exposure to discrimination rather than an inherent gender trait. The study contributes to employer branding and recruitment literature. It offers new theoretical insight into how job seekers decide within technology-driven and potentially inequitable hiring systems. It also outlines directions for future empirical validation.