What the study found
Employers do not view all non-employed applicants the same way. The study found that hiring ratings depended on the reason for the career hiatus, with training breaks ranked highest and discouraged workers ranked lowest.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say stigma around non-employment can make it harder for unemployed and inactive people to get jobs. The study suggests this matters for re-integrating people into work as social security systems face pressure from an ageing population.
What the researchers tested
The researchers used a vignette experiment, which means recruiters rated short descriptions of fictitious job applicants. Real-life recruiters assessed applicants with different non-employment breaks on hireability and productivity.
What worked and what didn't
Applicants with training breaks received the strongest ratings. Former caregivers were seen as socially skilled but less flexible, and the previously ill were seen as more motivated than the unemployed but likely to raise health concerns. Discouraged workers faced the harshest stigma, especially for motivation and self-discipline, and longer breaks generally reduced hiring chances except when the break was for training.
What to keep in mind
The summary does not describe limits beyond the fact that the study used fictitious applicants rated by recruiters. The findings are based on this experiment and on the specific categories of non-employment described in the abstract.
Key points
- Employers ranked applicants by the reason for their non-employment.
- Training breaks produced the highest hireability and productivity ratings.
- Discouraged workers received the lowest ratings, especially for motivation and self-discipline.
- Caregivers were viewed as socially skilled but less flexible.
- Longer non-employment breaks usually reduced hiring chances, except for training-related breaks.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Hiring chances vary by reason for non-employment
- Authors:
- Liam D’hert, Louis Lippens, Stijn Baert
- Institutions:
- Ghent University, Ghent University, UCLouvain
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-07
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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