Making the Cut

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This work examines how employers view and assess job applicants with nonstandard or precarious employment histories. Millions of workers today are engaged in nontraditional roles, such as part-time or temporary positions, or face long-term unemployment. While prior research has focused on the impact of these experiences on workers' well-being, this study shifts attention to hiring agents' perspectives. It explores how HR managers, recruiters, and talent acquisition specialists evaluate candidates with diverse employment backgrounds, considering factors like race and gender. David Pedulla’s research, which includes a field experiment on hiring decisions across four occupational groups and interviews with hiring agents in the U.S., reveals three key findings. First, hiring professionals derive different meanings from various employment experiences. Second, the implications of nonstandard or precarious work histories on job outcomes vary. Third, the intersection of race and gender with employment history significantly influences callback rates for jobs. Hiring agents utilize group-based stereotypes to create divergent narratives about candidates with similar backgrounds, leading to complex inequalities in the labor market. By addressing bias, discrimination, and social exclusion, this study provides insights into the hiring process and the challenges of securing employment in today’s economy.