Understanding Factors Influencing the Attractiveness of Military vs Civilian Jobs

The British military has struggled with recruiting young people. Military recruitment campaigns have relied on advertising that highlights job attributes, such as lifestyle benefits, but there is limited causal evidence on how messaging features affect young people’s evaluations of recruitment (Baker, 2023; Busvine, 2020; Jester, 2019). As such, this study focuses on estimating the effects of recruitment message attributes rather than testing a broader theory of military motivation. This is a survey experiment designed to understand how young people evaluate recruitment advertisements when considering applying for a job. Participants will be randomly shown both British Army and insurance company recruitment posters that vary in terms of salary and inclusion of testimonials about travel or community experiences.