New research Cornell University professor Christopher Collins shows how the perception of a company in the marketplace, whether Apple, Nike or Dell, can affect how job candidates view careers at there.

Collins discusses:

Ï The need for companies to figure out their target markets

Ï Why students have inaccurate ideas about what it's like to work at most companies

Ï The recruiting strategy that is better than a booth at job fairs

Ï Why turnover at many companies is so high in the first year after hire

Ï Recruiting on a tight budget

At one company, promotions have been carried out based on unmeasured criteria and long service--at the expense of creativity and good leadership traits. There are now some positions open. Some newer internal candidates fit the profile, while some veterans do not. How can the company handle the discord and possibly demotivating aftereffects of choosing the short-serving staffers?