Social recruiting an analysis of social media in recruiting by Luke Verdon

Social Recruiting: An Analysis of Social Media in Recruiting

Luke Verdon

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Masters in International Management, School of Business, Trinity College, Dublin. Supervisor: Dr. Ann Torres August 2013

I have read the Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s code of practice on plagiarism. I hereby certify this material, which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study leading to the award of MSc. (International Management) is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others, save and to the extent that such work has been cited within the text of my work.

Student ID Number:

12262281

Name of Candidate:

Luke Verdon

Signature of Candidate: Date: 9th-August-2013

ABSTRACT Social media is perhaps the most important tool in connecting and engaging people around the globe. Social networks have expanded so rapidly they have become an integral part of people’s everyday lives. Their influence has encroached in many important aspects of society such as business and politics. In recent years, the effects of social networking have reached the recruitment process giving rise to what is now known as ‘social recruiting’. This research is aimed at finding how HR professionals have taken advantage of this new phenomenon to improve the recruitment process. The literature on the subject was reviewed to better understand what the main benefits were. These findings were then compared with primary data collected through interviews with HR professionals. These interviews included professionals operating in different areas such as agency and corporate recruiting to give a more comprehensive view of the subject. The results were generally in agreement with the literature showing that social recruiting has many advantages namely giving organisations access to a greater quality and quantity of candidates and it is also as a vital instrument in employment branding which gives organisations the opportunity to hire the strongest candidates and win the ‘war on talent’. The research also revealed that the practice of online screening (viewing candidate’s social media profiles) has become popular, particularly in the US. However the interviews showed that while it may save time and money the ethical implications mean a company’s employment image can be tarnished if they are seen to invade what is believed to be person’s personal and private space.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to start by thanking my parents and grandparents who have always given me their constant love and support. I also wish to express my gratitude to my supervisor Dr. Ann Torres whose patient and enthusiastic approach made this experience immensely more enjoyable. My thanks go out to my classmates in sharing such a memorable year and also my friends Michael, Jeff, Matt, Stone and Edward who gave me some much needed encouragement in the latter stages of this project. Finally I would like to give my sincerest appreciation to all the interview participants who kindly agreed to share their knowledge and expertise with me. I was very fortunate to be given a unique insight into recruiting and the advice and support I received was invaluable in accomplishing the goals of this project.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NO.

SECTION

PAGE

1.0

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background

1.2

Research Question

1.3

Research Objectives

1.4

Scope of Topic

1.5

Method of Investigation

2.0

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

Introduction: The Rise of Social Media

2.2

Recruitment and Selection

2.3

Social Recruiting and the Major Platforms

2.3.1

2.3.2

Facebook

2.3.3

Twitter

2.4

Adoption of Social Recruiting

2.5

Benefits of Social Recruiting

2.5.1

Improved Quality and Quantity of Candidates

2.5.2

Metrics

2.5.3

Employment Image

2.5.4

Online Screening

2.6

Summary

3.0

METHODOLOGY

3.1

Introduction

3.2

Research Philosophy

3.3

Choosing a Research Method

3.4

Description of Research Method Used

3.5

Limitations

4.0

FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

4.1

Introduction

4.2

Overview of Participants

4.3

Research Objective One: Value of Social Recruiting

4.4

Research Objective Two: International

4.5

Research Objective Three: Online Screening

5.0

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

5.1

Introduction

5.2

Conclusion One: Value of Social Recruiting

5.3

Conclusion Two: International

5.4

Conclusion Three: Online Screening

5.5

Theoretical and Managerial Implications

5.6

Limitations and Shortcomings

5.7

Future Research

6.0

APPENDICES

6.1

Interview Questionnaires

6.2

Interview Proposal Letter

7.0

REFERENCES

LIST OF TABLES

NO.

TITLE

PAGE

Table 1:

Phases of Technology Adoption

Table 2:

Factors Influencing the Adoption of Online Recruitment

Table 3:

Overview of Interview Participant 1

Table 4:

Overview of Interview Participant 2

Table 5:

Overview of Interview Participant 3

Table 6:

Overview of Interview Participant 4

Table 7:

Overview of Interview Participant 5

Table 8:

Interview Questionnaire 1

Table 9:

Interview Questionnaire 2

Table 10:

Interview Questionnaire 3

Table 11:

Interview Questionnaire 4

Table 12:

Interview Questionnaire 5

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Technology is constantly improving and changing the world around us. As these advances become more of an integral part of our culture it becomes increasingly important to stay up to date with these new innovations. As technology transforms, so does the rules of many aspects of society. Business, politics, relationships, education, almost every facet of human interaction is moving online and in particular into the relatively new phenomenon of social media. This can be shown through the following figures.

Years to reach 50 million users: 

Radio, 38 years



TV, 13 years



Internet, 4 years



Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months (Qualman, 2009)

As a result, the process of recruitment has moved to social media as well. Traditional recruitment activities are becoming dated in this new age of connectivity and technology (Sullivan 2011). Online recruitment is facilitated through social media and the reason for it is simple, that’s where people are. Social media has now become the most popular activity on the web and Facebook receives more weekly traffic in the US than Google. (Qualman, 2009) It has given recruiters the opportunity to explore new ways of finding and hiring staff. It has even benefited those looking for jobs in the same way. In the modem job market, no tool is more capable of shortening the job search and helping employees to move on to their earners than social media (Waldman 2011). In a survey conducted by Jobvite (2012), 92% of respondents claimed to be using or planning to use social recruiting in the near future which shows that it is now the new standard for recruiting.

This recruitment revolution has mainly been facilitated through the most popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Social networking sites have also emerged purely for professional networking, the most famous example being LinkedIn. There are also international sites such as Xing which is used by German speakers and also Viadeo in French regions. Having a strong online presence is now crucial for organisations. In the war on talent 1

firms fight for the most talented employees and through effective social recruiting it is possible for them to gain an advantage over their competitors. Organisations have made online presences on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedln and YouTube to find and engage with potential candidates and for them to be in touch with the organisations (Doherty, 2010).

Social Recruiting has also been mired in controversy. Recruiters now have a wealth of information on current and potential employees through online profiles on these websites. Most people see these profiles as an extension of their personal lives and do not wish for their employers to encroach on this space. Therefore examining these profiles without permission can be taken as an invasion of privacy and it has sparked an intense ethical debate.

This study examines how social media has improved recruiting by looking at the benefits it has brought to HR professionals. Primary data is gathered through interviews with professionals with experience in the field along with a review of the academic literature for comparison. This approach offers an insight into how organisations use social recruiting to accomplish their recruiting goals and it may reveal if there are any gaps between theory and practice. 1.2 Research Question This dissertation examines the use of social media in recruiting which is known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;social recruitingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. An analysis of the subject will attempt to find out if there is any benefits for firms to engage in this practice in order to understand if organisations are correct in adopting it and if they chose not to, are they at a disadvantage? The research will also examine the controversial topic of companies viewing candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social networking profiles in the selection process to uncover if there any risks to this method. 1.3 Research Objectives The objectives of this research are: 1. To identify what exactly are the benefits of social recruiting. 2. To identify what are the benefits of social recruiting in an international context. 3. To find out if viewing the social networking profiles of candidates (online screening) is a beneficial practice for recruiters. i.

If it is what are the reasons for using it?

ii.

If not why are they ignored?

1.4 Scope of Topic The scope of this research is only focused on social recruiting from the perspective of the employer/recruiter. The literature on social media and recruiting can be viewed from several 2

different angles. The employer and the job seeker would be considered the two most prominent perspectives. Job seekers have benefited from social recruiting also using the same social networking sites but these advantages are not included in the scope of this study. 1.5 Method of Investigation Social media and social recruiting are relatively new topics and academic literature on the subjects is quite sparse. Much of the content comes from social media gurus and there is little in the means of empirical testing or quantitative data. The primary data for this project is qualitative based and subjective therefore semi structured interviews were considered the most appropriate means to gather information. Surveys were considered as they may have been able to generate numerous responses which would have helped validate the conclusions but more in-depth answers were needed to truly answer the research objectives so surveys were not used. In order to avoid getting a narrow view of social recruiting it was appropriate to interview professionals working in different aspects of recruiting. Interviews were conducted with professionals in corporate recruiting, agency recruiting as well as one in online recruitment training. Agency recruiting involves professional recruiters providing potential candidates for clients for a fee (i.e. outsourcing) whereas in corporate recruiting (also called in-house recruiting) HR staff hire for their own firm. By including both these perspectives it will not leave any gaps in the research. To accommodate these different contexts a formal interview was believed to be too rigid so a semi structured interview was considered the optimal method of gathering data. Also known as a qualitative research interview they allow some questions to be omitted or added and also the ordering of the questions can change to adapt to the flow of the conversation (Saunders, 2004). This would be particularly suitable for a topic like social media as the answers to some questions may require further explanation or give rise to new questions spontaneously.

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction: The Rise of Social Media While some saw it as a passing fad the proliferation of social media in recent years has been undeniable (Lauby, 2010). The power of social networking websites (SNWs) such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn completely transformed how people behave online. This shift known as ‘Web 2.0’, revealed that internet users were not satisfied with merely consuming content from websites but rather creating and sharing it themselves (i.e. user-generated content). The introduction of these SNWs and also YouTube allowed users to share videos and build online communities. These communities had the power to share information at rapid speeds to a global network. This resulted in a more empowered consumer who, with the support of an online community changed how companies interacted with their target market. According to Scott Cook (2012), co- founder of Intuit “A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is – it is what consumers tell each other it is.” This quote shows the transformative nature of social media and more importantly it implies that these transformation calls for businesses to adapt if they are going to survive. Branding is one of many areas that have experienced changes under the influence of social media but it has also affected PR, recruiting and marketing amongst others. Social media has not just been limited to the world of business. It has also reached into other areas such as politics. Many credit Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential victory to his use of social media and books such as ‘Communicator-in-Chief: How Barack Obama Used New Media Technology to Win the White House ’examine this success. Unfortunately it has also has been a double edged sword and has caused financial disasters for companies. One of the most famous cases concerned musician Dave Carroll whose expensive guitar was damaged on a United Airlines flight. When he realised he would not receive any compensation he wrote a song entitled ‘United Breaks Guitar’ describing the incident which went viral on YouTube causing a PR disaster for the company (Pack, 2011). Considering it has won elections and nearly bankrupted companies the power it has is not to be underestimated and now “most companies realize that social media isn’t a fad and it’s not going away” (Lauby, 2010, p. 4). 2.2 Recruitment and Selection This section will examine the basic elements of recruiting to see what the main processes are. According to Barber (1998) recruitment is a broad concept which makes it difficult to define but it is one of the key functions of Human Resource Management. It is also vital that organisations do this as effectively as possible as Pilbeam and Corbridge (2006, p142) note:

“The recruitment and selection of employees is fundamental to the functioning of an organisation, and there are compelling reasons for getting it right. Inappropriate selection decisions reduce organisational effectiveness…” The difference between recruitment and selection is important. Recruitment is defined as “the process of generating a pool of capable people to apply for employment to an organisation. The process of selection on the other hand is where managers choose the persons that are most suitable for the job given the management goals and requirements” (Bratton & Gold, 2003, p.221). Barber (1998) refers to it as an organisational activity focused on attracting and identifying potential candidates. These comprehensive definitions identify recruitment as being concerned with finding potential employees. The next stage selection is the “process by which managers and others use specific instruments to choose from a pool of applicants a person or persons most likely to succeed in the job(s), given management goals and legal requirements (Bratton and Gold, 2003 p. 237). The most commonly known selection methods would be interviews, resumes and psychometric tests. Breaugh and Starke (2000) explain that recruitment and selection is a process consisting of recruitment objectives, methods and output. Given this study is on social recruiting the emphasis will be to examine the new methods social recruiting has made available and what kind of outputs they yield. Recruitment methods can be interpreted as tools that enable companies to identify and attract employees (Noe et al., 2003). In this case the tool is social media and also the major SNWs. Bratton also states there are two critical issues in terms of recruitment and selection: Attracting people – People have a choice about which organization to work for. Attracting the right people- Who are the right people, and what do organizations expect of them? Attracting people is concerned with a company’s employment image. As people have a choice, it is necessary that businesses make them more attractive than their competitors. Attracting the right people is concerned with suitability. This is how well the candidate’s knowledge, skills and abilities will match the job requirements (Gunmgle, et al., 2011). The value of social recruiting will be evidenced it gives organisations more suitable candidates. The advantages of social recruiting are discussed in further detail later in section 2.5.

There are also two main modes of recruiting, internal and external. Internal focuses on existing staff being promoted within the organisation. Furthermore, internal recruitment is 5

also about building a relationship with the employees and to assure job satisfaction (Ployhart et al, 2006). External is used when the competencies an organisation requires are unavailable within the current workforce. Social media can be used in both of these forms of recruiting considering. For example employees in a company may be connected through their LinkedIn profiles and may refer one another for a promotion if one becomes available. It is also possible an employee may recommend someone outside the organisation (e.g. old classmate, friends etc.) for a position. This approach shows social media can be used as both an internal and external form of recruitment. 2.3 Social Recruiting and the Major Platforms Social media has been used by marketers to promote products so it seems natural that recruiters can use it to promote their companies. “Social recruiting is a buzz phrase used throughout the HR world, which can be defined as harnessing the evolution of Web 2.0 technologies and social media tools to communicate, engage, inform, and recruit our future talent” (Jacobs 2009, p. 2). “The reason that social recruiting is on the rise is simple – that’s where people are spending their time. It only makes sense to have a visible presence where the candidates are” (Lauby, 2010, p.3). The main SNWs used for recruiting are LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter but also outside the English speaking world there is Xing which is popular in German speaking countries and Viadeo in French areas. There will also be a focus on the international aspect of social recruiting as per the second research objective.

The three major platforms differ in their purpose and audience; therefore it is important to explain each platform to show why recruiters use these different channels depending on who they want to reach. 2.3.1 LinkedIn LinkedIn, a professional-orientated social network, differs from the regular social network websites in that its focus and main purpose is for professional networking in the online world (Joos, 2008). The ‘Jobvite Social Recruiting Survey 2012’ showed 93% of companies are using or planning to use it and also 89% had made a hire through it. It is mainly used by recruiters to post jobs and one of the most popular trends amongst recruiters is to use the website head hunt for new talent (Siliker, 2011). It is perhaps the most frequently used and most successful social networking platform for businesses and recruiters to use. It is dwarfed by Facebook in total number of users however. The latest figures from their website claim over 225 million members. Facebook has slightly over 1 billion active users. As it is aimed at professional people it is not as popular with younger audiences with 80% of LinkedIn members being 30 years or over (Melin, 2013). It is more suitable for experienced hires than graduates seeking their first jobs. 6

2.3.2 Facebook While it is not a professional site, the sheer volume of users makes it a crucial social media platform, especially for younger demographics (i.e. ‘Generation Y’). Facebook started as a college network which explains why recruiters use it mainly for graduate hires. “Companies such as PWC, KPMG and the Royal Bank of Scotland are creating ‘Facebook Groups’ for university students and interns who have an interest in working with them in the future. This generation have grown up with Facebook and Twitter and it is these natural outlets which they use most commonly” (Parker, 2011, p.23). “Social media presents marketing professionals with a vehicle through which they can be relevant and meaningful to the demographic that is ‘Generation Y’ (Dickey, 2010, p. 191). This is why it is the most important platform in regards to graduate hires. Facebook comes in second to LinkedIn in the Jobvite survey with 66% of respondent using it and 26% making a hire through it. 2.3.3 Twitter A micro blogging site, its simplicity and immediacy “provides the ability for companies to communicate directly, interact and create and maintain relationships” (Heaps, 2009, p.18). Also as users ‘follow’ those who they are interested in it gives companies an opening into those with a direct interest in them. Finally 54% and 15% use it and have hired through it respectively according to the Jobvite survey. 2.4 Adoption of Social Recruiting The use of social media in the recruiting sphere has not been as salient as it has in other areas and “given the importance of recruitment, it is surprising that little research has been conducted into the decision making processes that form the basis of an employer’s recruitment strategy” (Parry et al., 2009, p. 656). The internet first emerged as a recruiting tool in the mid-1990s and was hailed by the popular media as the driver behind a recruiting revolution” due to the benefits it could bring to recruiters (Boydell, 2002). The initial publicity of online recruiting did not materialise into widespread adoption. “There is still a large proportion of organisations in the UK who have not yet adopted social recruitment at all, and those who do use social recruitment often do so in conjunction with other techniques such as print advertising and recruitment agencies” (Parry et. al,2009, p. 656). This is explicable when considering the phases of technology adoption which are as follows:

Table 2.1 Phases of Technology Adoption No.

Phase

Activity

Awareness

First knowledge

Interest

Further information seeking

Evaluation

Consideration for trial

Trial

Small scale test

Implementation

First major test

Diffusion

Follow-up on major uses

(Huff et. al., 1985) Social recruitment has somewhat followed this model which would explain why after its introduction in the mid-90s it was not instantly adopted. Use of online recruiting in parallel with other techniques in the UK may have been the first signs of the ‘Trial’ stage which would bring us closer to the present day. This could also represent “an iterative approach [to social media recruiting] to compare results to existing recruiting strategies based on viable applicants, response rates and quality of candidates” (Madia, 2010, p. 19). In terms of the actual reasons for adoption it was first suggested that [online] recruitment sources were adopted mainly due to mimetic processes. (Williamson et.al, 2003). Companies adopting their competitor’s social recruitment methods suggest that the benefits of social recruitment were not yet visible and companies introduced some small forms of online recruiting for fear of losing a competitive advantage and not keeping up to date with modern technology advances: “For companies who have not yet engaged in the social networking space for the purposes of recruiting, the downside is that a company’s competitors most likely have, so it behoves HR department in companies large and small to develop a plan – even if this means one simple, social-media component through which to test the waters” (Madia,2011, p. 19). However a survey conducted by Chapman and Webster (2003, p. 113) identify some early adopters “implemented technology based recruitment and selection tools to improve efficiency, enable new assessment tools, reduce costs, standardize systems and expand the applicant pool.”. It did not seem clear how or where social recruitment would make these efficiencies and savings at this stage. The zeitgeist of late 90s and early 2000s during the dot com bubble was to digitalise anything possible so adoption of social media recruitment at that time was perhaps somewhat premature and its benefits were not fully understood. This scenario changed dramatically at the start of the last decade. It seems the adoption of social recruiting has come on in strides and is reaching the final stages. The Jobvite Survey stated in 2012 92% of recruiters leveraged social media to reach candidates and it was also an increase of 10% from 2010. The study also asserted has become social recruiting is the biggest factor in the evolution of recruitment:

“Social Media has quickly become a dominant force for companies to find and hire quality talent” (Jobvite Survey, 2012, p.1) These figures indicate almost full adoption into the Diffusion stage. While moving at a slow pace when it first was introduced in the mid-90s, social media use grew rapidly since roughly 2010. 2.5 Benefits of Social Recruiting As the Jobvite survey showed close to 100% of the respondents are involved with social recruiting at some level. Companies not partaking in this activity are at a distinct disadvantage to their competitors as “widespread acceptance of social recruiting leads to a spike in candidate quantity and quality and an increase in employee referrals, and social knowledge” (Jobvite Survey, 2012, p.2) The following table taken from one study shows what benefits featured most prominently in the academic literature written on the subject. The number of starts equal the number of times the factor is mentioned in previous academic literature.

Factors

Table 2.2 Factors influencing the Adoption of Online Recruitment Prominence

Reach Pool Size

******

International

****

Diversity

****

24/7 Availability

Passive Job Seekers

Candidate Targeting Relative Cost

***********

Speed to hire

*********

Swamped with applications

******

Unsuitable candidates

*****

Provision of information

****

Company Image

****

Ease of Screening

***

Implementation

Computer Literacy

Targeting

Convenience

Online Screening

New Technology

(Parry et al., 2009) 2.5.1 Improved Quality and Quantity of Candidates The Jobvite survey shows encouraging stats on the advantages social recruiting yields: 

49% saw an increase in the quantity of candidates



43% reported an increase in candidate quality



31% saw an increase in employee referrals

The reason for the increase in the quality and quantity of candidates can perhaps be explained by the Parry and Wilson study. Social recruiting allows companies access to an international pool of talent. The new pool of candidates is also the most important aspect of social recruiting in the study of international management (and the second research objective). The increased pool size can be explained international candidates which is the second most listed advantage in the study. It is also possible an increase in referrals can be explained by the international advantage social recruiting gives. 2.5.2 Metrics When compared with older methods of recruitment, social recruiting can hire easier, faster and most importantly cheaper. These improvements are also possibly the most enticing reason for companies to adopt social recruiting as they can do more with fewer resources. Using the major platforms to source candidates are free to use, with the exception of premium LinkedIn accounts but the cost compared to outsourcing or advertising on job boards for example is considerably less. The speed of hiring is a result of improving the selection process which is reviewed later in this piece. 2.5.3 Employment Image Considering that marketing managers are using social media to promote brands it is appropriate that recruiters do the same to promote a company to job seekers. This is important in the war on talent. “The ‘war for talent’ meant that the emphasis in organisations moved from the selection to the attraction of employees, and that labour market shortages and recruitment difficulties led to a more competitive recruitment market” (Parry et al.,2008). Social recruiting could therefore raise a company’s ‘employment image ’and differentiate it from rivals. A study into the ‘employment image’ of companies was assessed by examining the most important dimensions in distinguishing companies within the same industry for

potential employees in the article ‘Assessing Company Employment Image: An Example in the Fast Food Industry’ (1999). Although carried out in 1999 the insights are more relevant today as social media sites were in their infancy meaning a company’s online reputation was not as vital or nearly as accessible as it is today. The article claims that in order for a company to maintain a recruitment competitive advantage it must learn how the company is perceived and what differentiates it from its competitors. This information can then be used to ensure the perceived benefits of that company are highlighted in its recruitment strategies. The implication is organisations should only market what potential employees see as their strengths as opposed to what the company itself sees as its strengths because people are not only attracted to job they think they fit but also tend to accept offers made by companies which carry the attributes they find important (Ployhart et al., 2006). There is also a suggestion that different demographics or nations may have different needs in making career choices so there must be an element of adaption. Therefore it is up to companies to fully understand what their appeal is to different sets of job seekers and promote these attributes accordingly in their recruitment strategies. 2.5.4 Online Screening Online screening is perhaps the most well known aspect of social recruiting due to the ethical issues regarding privacy. In this research ‘online screening’ refers to the practice of viewing candidates personal social media profiles like Facebook and Twitter without permission. It should be noted that this does not include LinkedIn which is a professional site where users are aware that their information will be viewed. Individual privacy has become a very sensitive issue in the US with the NSA revelations becoming global news and perhaps this has made people re-examine their attitudes to the importance of privacy.

As explained previously, selection is an important aspect of recruiting which is concerned with selecting the right people. Social media can be used to give companies a stronger insight into the candidate thereby giving the company a greater assessment of the candidate’s suitability for the role and how they will fit into the organisation. Online screening can be done by viewing their online profiles on SNWs. “The use of Social Networking Sites for recruitment is a new field in Human Resource Management. Employers believe that using these sites for online background checks is an acceptable practice for making hiring decisions for getting a quick character sketch of the applicant” (Clark & Roberts, 2010, p.507). What employers are seeking is an insight into the behaviour and/or personality of a candidate that would not be made apparent in the traditional recruitment process and also this process 11

can be done quickly which would be another advantage for recruiters over older methods. Seemingly interviews and resumes include a certain element of self-presentation, reflecting ‘maximal’ instead of ‘typical’ work performance (Sackett, 2007). This idea suggests that in an interview or job application, a candidate will attempt to portray the best version of themselves and this may not be a realistic indicator of how the candidate will perform for the company on day to day bases. Therefore the value of these online profiles to recruiters is that they can bypass the problems of self presentation and give companies a realistic prediction of what an employee’s actual performance will be. “This is not to say that SNWs are not susceptible to manipulation and faking, similar to that of self-report personality measures and job interviews. In fact, as users of SNWs become more aware that their profiles are being evaluated by potential employers, information provided on profiles is likely to be skewed in an effort to be viewed more favourably.” (Kluemper, 2006, p.570)

Despite the potential for online profiles to be altered it does not appear to diminish their effectiveness. The proof comes from an often cited survey (Cross-tab, 2010) which confirms HR professional widespread use of SNWs and had the following findings. Firstly, some companies have made online screening a formal part of the hiring process. The survey also found that 70% of US recruiters have rejected candidates solely based on online information and they expected that the use of online reputational information will significantly increase over the next five years. This was not as prevalent in the UK or Germany however. HR recruiters are not only seeking negative information and that candidates can also increase their chances of being hired by having a ‘positive online reputation’ with 85% of recruiters saying it has influenced their hiring decisions to some extent. The survey concludes that the findings of the survey have removed any doubt over the effectiveness of online screening as a selection tool. Another study by Reppler (2010) echoes the same findings. In this survey 91% use online information as part of the screening process and again just fewer than 70% claimed that they have rejected candidates based on their findings.

There does appear to be a misconception about what HR professionals are actually looking for when they view candidates Twitter and Facebook accounts. Reppler’s survey (2010) revealed a list of what recruiters believe to be the most serious offences on social media sites. Generally it is assumed that the most egregious offence is for a person to post proof of excessive drinking either by photo or text. What is surprising is that this features in the lower end of the spectrum. Instead what employers find to be the largest cause of rejection is when a candidate reveals they have lied about their qualifications. Another red flag is if a candidate is 12

found to post negative comments of current or previous employers. Some feel that signs of excessive drinking and other things of that nature are non work related and separate from a person’s professional life. However the information from Reppler’s survey (2010) suggests that recruiters are only interested in work related content

There have been questions raised about the legality of online screening as profiles may give information that recruiters are forbidden from knowing. The “implication of this is that the viewing of SNWs by employers may not only be unethical in terms of its invasion of privacy but illegal as employers can inadvertently learn about matters such as candidates’ age, marital status, and other topics typically are off limits in job interviews, and organizations can be sued for discrimination if these candidates are not hired” (Frauenheim, 2006, p.1). If candidates were victims of discrimination, this would be likely to occur at the interview stage when the potential employee’s race and age will be revealed. The only information a HR professional would not be able to learn based on a face-to-face meeting that they could source on a SNWs is the marital status of the applicant. It is possible an employer could allow an appropriate number of candidates through to the interview stage to avoid any suspicion of discrimination and then dismiss the candidates at the latter stages of the interview process. Hence a candidate would not be any more susceptible to discrimination through SNWs than from what the candidate would have experienced without any online profile.

An empirical study was conducted on online screening to see precisely how accurately trained recruiters could make assessments of people using only there online information. This was completed by Kluemper (2006) in the article ‘Future employment selection methods: evaluating social networking web sites’. He used the big five personality traits proposed by Barrick (1991) which are listed as: 

Emotional Stability



Extraversion



Openness to experience



Conscientiousness



Agreeableness

These personality traits were used as a means to judge the candidates with. The study involved HR professionals given access to participants social networking profiles. Using this information they were asked to from an overall picture of a participants ‘online profile’ and make a judgement on them based on the big five personality traits as, estimate intelligence and also the participants grade point average (GPA) . The hypothesis was to ascertain to what 13

extent these judgements were accurate against the true scores of those willing to have their online profiles observed. The true scores consisted of self reported big five personality scores, their GPA and IQ tests. The results showed the judges ratings were â&#x20AC;&#x153;consistent across the 63 raters in this study, demonstrating adequate internal consistency reliability and interrater agreementâ&#x20AC;? (Parry et al, 2009, p.659)

Given the success of the HR participants in making accurate judgements of the test subjects ( in terms of the big five personality traits and intelligence) then it follows that the use of social media is an effective tool for selection. The article notes this approach may be particularly valuable since these assessments take only a fraction of the time involved with other selection methods. This advantage which links back to one of the main benefits of social recruiting listed in the Parry and Wilson (2009) which was speed of hire. 2.6 Summary As social media has transformed marketing, it has also transformed recruiting. Its widespread adoption is unquestionable and those who do not invest in it are at a distinct disadvantage. The advantages are now also clear and the literature shows it improves the quality and quantity of candidates at greater speeds and lower costs. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the main sources of these benefits and it is mainly due to the sheer volume of users. It opens recruiters to a larger pool of candidates and allows sourcing (both directly and through referrals) to happen rapidly at a global scale. It is this reason that social recruiting has such an important international element.

How social media will be used in online screening in the future is up for debate. While the studies show recruiters can ascertain candidates suitably by examine their social media profiles it is still considered to be an invasion of privacy and done to a large extent may even damage a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employment image which is another key feature of social recruiting. Legislation on this issue may also change in the future.

3.0 METHODOLOGY 3.1 Introduction This section will explore the research methodology that was conducted to complete the research objectives. Compiling primary data was necessary so ensuring the optimal methodology was selected was vital to yielding data that was accurate and relevant to the research objectives. Semi structured interviews of recruiters took place to gather the data. 3.2 Research Philosophy Social media involves mainly interactions between individuals online and this is an important factor to consider when discussing the research philosophy. The same can be said for the recruitment process also. Social recruiting can be interpreted differently depending on what a particular person uses it for and what value they seek to gain from it. It can have different connotations depending on the perspective. For example, a recruiter who may see it positively as a way to gain access to a larger pool of candidates but an employee may see it negatively as a way for their privacy to be invaded. Hence it is important to understand the contexts for the respondents of the interviews. “Interpretivism advocates that it is necessary for the researcher to understand differences between humans in our role as social actors. This approach emphasises the difference between conducting research among people rather than objects such as trucks and computers” (Saunders, 2004, p.116). The respondents are employed in in different areas of recruiting and therefore use social recruiting differently to accomplish individual and/or company goals. As social recruiting cannot be defined by ‘laws’ (apart from laws such as employment discrimination laws etc.) an interpretive stand point is the most appropriate. Interpretivism is line with the epistemological philosophy. Interviewees may have differing views on the subject and focus must be placed on the different situations and motivating factors informing the responses to the interview questions. When interpreting the information it is important to understand each interview will have its own context.

3.3 Choosing a Research Method The subject of social recruiting falls into the category of interpretivism, especially when the respondents use social media in different ways. This method of investigation is the main thing that needs to be considered when selecting the most suitable research method. As the interviewees have different backgrounds asking the same set of questions may not be appropriate. It is unlikely they have the same knowledge meaning some questions may be irrelevant to their line of work or a set list of questions may omit an area of the subject they are experts in. For these reasons a semi structured interview is be a better method than a 15

formal interview for gathering more pertinent data. Unstructured interviews involve no predetermined list of questions (Saunders et al, 2004). While considerations have to be made for the varied backgrounds of interviewees it is still important to discuss the major themes of social recruiting so that each interview is geared towards finding data that is directly linked to answering the research objectives. For this reason an unstructured interviews are deemed unsuitable also. By eliminating the two aforementioned interview styles it follows that a semi structured interview is the optimal approach. It is structured to ensure the questions are in line with the research objectives but also flexible enough to allow respondents to explore their areas of expertise and specifically discuss how exactly social recruiting benefits them. This approach will be important as it will facilitate ‘probing’ where the interviewer can ask respondents to explain or to build on their responses. According to Saunders et al. (2004) “this structured approach is crucial when adopting an interpretivist epistemology, where you will be concerned to understand the meanings that participants attribute to various phenomena. Interviewees will have their own opinions and methods of doing things, so to probing these meanings will add significance and depth to the data obtained. It may also lead the discussion into areas that were not previously considered but which are significant for the research objectives. Therefore semi structured interviews are the correct format for addressing the research questions.

3.4 Description of Research Method Used Once the research method was selected the next task was to find respondents. It was decided that to get a complete view of social recruiting for organisations it would be necessary to find potential interviewees working in various areas of recruiting. The aim is to interview professionals in the following areas to see how to compare and contrast their uses and opinions of social recruiting: agency recruiting, in house recruiting and corporate recruiting. The aim of between five to ten interviews is to ensure there was adequate data to draw strong conclusions. Due to low response rates the final number of interviews was five.

The next step involved finding candidates matching the required criteria which proved to be the most difficult part of the research as there was a low response rate. Emails explaining the research were sent out to various recruiting agencies in Dublin and also to many professional services firms. Almost all of the emails sent ‘cold’ were ignored entirely with a small number declining an interview mainly due to lack of knowledge in the subject. The first interview was established through a business connection. The respondent agreed to find other suitable candidates and all subsequent interviews were established through personal or business connections. 16

All interviews were altered to suit the particular context but there was a general template used. Interviews were planned to last at least roughly 30 minutes. In reality most last 45- 60 minutes. The questionnaires of each interview can be found in the appendices. 3.5 Limitations The main limitation of the research undertaken is the relatively small sample size. In the context of a dissertation the number of interviews was adequate but in order for the conclusions drawn to appear stronger more interviews would be needed to truly validate the results. The small sample size is the result of the high failure rate of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cold callingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Although many possible respondents were pursued interviews were only arranged if the researcher had a connection. The first connection was found through the researcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employer. Subsequent interviews were then found through connections of the primary respondent. In hindsight cold calling should not have been attempted considering no interviews were scheduled this way. Instead focusing on personal connections would have resulted in a higher number of interviews. There was also an imbalance in the sample as there were more interviews with corporate recruiters than agency recruiters. This could results becoming somewhat skewed as there is a dominant perspective in the data. Ideally having an equal number of both styles of recruiting would have prevented this problem but due to the difficulty in obtaining interviews this balance cloud not be achieved. It was decided that it was better to have more interviews with corporate recruiters than to lower the number of overall interviews. This would have resulted in a low sample size and made the conclusions more difficult to justify.

4.0 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS 4.1 Introduction In this chapter there will be a discussion of the information gained through interviews that were conducted with professionals working in various roles within the recruitment industry. All of the respondents had experience working with social media in recruiting to varying degrees. In the interviews the dialogue covered what role social recruiting played in accomplishing their organisations goals but they also gave personal opinions on the subject, cited outside examples and some gave insights into what they predicted to be the future of social recruiting. There was a total of five interviews carried out, all of which were semi structured. As a result of this and also due to the fact that the respondents were working in slightly different contexts (e.g. agency recruitment, corporate recruitment, online recruitment training etc.) each interview was adjusted to suit the specific scenario. Semi structured interviews also gave interviewees the opportunity for more in-depth elaboration. There was always some key questions that were asked which were directly concerned with the main research objectives. 4.2 Overview of Participants An overview of each interview and their respective organisation will be provided to give a clearer context to their views on social recruiting. Table 4.1: Overview of Interview Participant 1 Name

Rose Hogan

Company

Deloitte

Position

Resourcing Manager

Recruitment Corporate Recruitment Area Company

Deloitte is a professional services firm and a member of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Big Fourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. It is a

Overview

global company operating in over 150 countries and employing over 190,000 staff. The services it provides are in a number of areas including audit, tax, consulting, corporate finance and enterprise risk.

Deloitte Ireland employs a large number of graduates (around 200) per year through an annual milk round process but also hires experienced professionals to fill more senior roles. This interview was carried out in order to examine the corporate recruitment perspective.

Also given the large number of

graduate hires it was important to find out how these younger demographic

are targeted through social recruiting. as the company is a global brand the issue of employment image was also dominant.

Summary of Data Gathered on Main Research Objectives Research

In the case of Deloitte the benefits of social recruiting are in agreement to the

Objective 1

literature. In particular the respondent discussed the importance of social recruiting in employment image and how it gives another channel to engage with potential candidates and give them a clearer picture of what life is like working for Deloitte.

Research

In an international sense, LinkedIn in particular was useful for finding

Objective 2

candidates abroad if there was a lack of skills in the home country (reference was made to a lack of IT skills in Ireland). Also connections on LinkedIn allowed for positions to be filled by candidates working in similar positions for Deloitte in different countries.

Research

The interviewer expressed quite strongly that the company does not engage in

Objective 3

online screening mainly for its ethical considerations but also because the company was comfortable with its current selection methods and particularly with graduate recruitment so there is no need for further screening methods.

Table 4.2: Overview of Interview Participant 2 Name

Holly Fawcett

Company

Social Talent

Position

Digital Marketing Manager

Recruitment Online Recruitment Training Area Company

Social Talent is a new company founded in 2010 and is one of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Overview

leading providers of online and social media training. They provide training to both corporate and agencies in social recruitment. Their training methods range from offline classroom settings to online learning via their website MySocialTalent.com. They also offer free weekly webinars on an array of topics in social recruiting. This interview was more focused on social recruiting in general. A company which trains other recruiters has the advantage of being able to provide an overall sense of the industry. Also given the respondents training and experience in marketing, branding was another key feature of the interview.

Summary of Data Gathered on Main Research Objectives Research

The respondent had experience in marketing so a great deal of time was spent

Objective 1

on employment image in social recruiting. She expressed how social recruiting was particularly effective at showing candidates the ‘personality’ of a company and helping an applicant decide if they are a good fit for the company. Reference in particular was made to Google’s ‘Life at Google’ videos on YouTube at how they attempt to portray this

Research

The issue of lack of IT skills was again brought up by the interviewee in

Objective 2

answering this question. Also highlighting social recruiting is an effective tool for finding international candidates when there is a lack in the home country.

Research

Invasion of privacy was considered too big an issue to justify this practice.

Objective 3

There was also a discussion on how online profiles contain data that is ‘nonwork related’ and this should not influence hiring decisions and that allowances should be made for the separation of a professional life with a personal one

Table 4.3: Overview of Interview Participant 3 Name

Brian Cunningham

Company

Allen Recruitment

Position

Director

Recruitment Agency Recruiting Area Company

Allen Recruitment is a Dublin based recruitment agency founded in 1998.

Overview

This form of recruitment involves agencies being hires by firms to fill vacant positions. They are also employed by job seekers to find employment. Considering the scope of this research this area was deemed irrelevant. Unlike Deloitte, Allen Recruitment (and most agencies) is not involved with graduate recruitment. The respondent noted that only three graduates had sought the services of the company. Therefore this interview was concerned with organisations that used social recruiting to target experienced hires. Allen recruitment sources candidates internationally. With this in mind this interview was also mainly geared that the research objective concerning social recruitments use from an international perspective.

Summary of Data Gathered on Main Research Objectives

Research

It was explained that the benefits listed do not apply in an agency recruiting

Objective 1

context due to expectations of candidate quality already being high as clients have higher expectations as they are paying high fees instead of recruiting inhouse. This makes their benefits somewhat redundant as sourcing higher quality and quantity of candidates is the norm for agencies.

Research

In this context however it does have some benefit for finding candidates

Objective 2

abroad if there was a shortage locally. This was particularly helpful for targeted job advertising where job advertisements could be placed in geographical locations where there was a high availability of potential candidates with the required skills. This could help improve usual response rates for job advertisement.

Research

Unlike in corporate recruiting it appears online screening can be of benefit in

Objective 3

agency recruitment. Given that agencies are under pressure to deliver high quality candidates and are under strict time constraints online screening can provide accurate and quick indications of suitability.

Table 4.4: Overview of Interview Participant 4 Name

Barbara Gilleran

Company

Position

Talent Acquisition Manager

Recruitment Corporate Recruiting Area Company

LinkedIn is perhaps the most important platform and the catalyst that started

Overview

social recruiting. Launched in 2003 as a social networking site it was designed specifically for the business community. Users set up profile pages displaying employment history, education and other relevant information. Users ‘connect’ which gives users a network of connections at a global level. While giving users a strong online presence that increases job hunters value is also derived from recruiters. Active head hunting has become one of the major functions of the site, users can refer their connections to job advertisements which gives recruiters a stronger pool of candidates to choose from. Also the increased visibility of candidates has allowed ‘passive’ candidates to be considered for potential careers further expanding the talent pool for HR professionals. Summary of Data Gathered on Main Research Objectives

Research

This interview was only focused around LinkedIn and none of the other

Objective 1

platforms were discussed. This was due to the interviewer emphasising that the company “drinks its own champagne.” The major benefits discussed focused on the website providing greater quality and quantity of candidates through ‘passive candidates’ and also users referring their connections for careers.

Employment image strategy was also discussed. The company used a content rich strategy via the website (blogs, videos, discussions) to promote the values and culture of the company to possible candidates. This is to further engage with users and have a more personal connection. Research

In this particular instant the interviewer did not recruit internationally often

Objective 2

and most of the staff was sourced locally. However it was noted on a more general level that using filtered searches for candidates (particularly for language skills) did give the company a wide access of candidates internationally if required.

Research

As previously stated the company only uses its own website and does not

Objective 3

engage on other platforms so the company does not view online profiles without permission. It was noted that the company would not engage in the practice as it is an invasion of privacy and that content on other websites contain non work related information and is therefore not relevant.

Table 4.5: Overview of Interview Participant 5 Name

Barry O’Brien

Company

Boston Scientific

Position

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Recruitment Corporate Recruiting Area Company

Boston Scientific is a multinational manufacturer and marketer of medical

Overview

devices. As it’s a global company focus was put on employment image and also international candidates. Summary of Data Gathered on Main Research Objectives

Research

Social Recruiting has increased the quality of candidates for Boston Scientific

Objective 1

mainly through passive candidates on LinkedIn. Also the company has begun to rely on LinkedIn instead of employing agency recruiters saving the

company the cost of expensive fees. Research

The respondent explained that while LinkedIn allowed for easy access to

Objective 2

international candidates he has not hired an employee from overseas as of yet.

Research

Like the other interviews with corporate recruiters Boston Scientific does not

Objective 3

engage in online screening due most of the content being non-work related on networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Also the respondent noted that in Ireland employees would not be comfortable about invading someone’s privacy.

4.5 Research Objective 1: Value of Social Recruiting The Jobvite (2012) showed that social recruiting mainly improves the quality and quantity of candidates. The Parry & Wilson (2009) analysis of the factors influencing adoption of online recruitment showed the same result. The enormous number of users on the major social networking sites increases their visibility to recruiters thus giving them a much bigger talent pool. The Parry and Wilson study also points out that social recruiting can give companies access to passive candidates. These are candidates who are not necessarily looking for new employment. If they have visible profiles on LinkedIn they can be contacted and this gives organisations the opportunity to entice these users to apply to their company. The respondent from Boston Scientific reported that the ability to hire passive candidates via LinkedIn was one of the main advantages for the company which supports Parry and Wilson’s study. The respondent noted that generally speaking passive candidates were stronger than active ones. Apart from a better talent pool social recruiting can be used to strengthen a company’s employment image which will make them more desirable to work for. This gives organisations the opportunity to hire the most talented individuals as they will not lose them to companies that have a superior employment image. Ployhart et al. (1999) cite the importance of employment image by explaining that people tend to accept offers from companies that carry the attributes they find important. In the second interview the main topic was how do organisations promote a good employment image and it seems that employment image is all about promoting the values and culture of the organisation. The respondent pointed out the ‘Life at Google’ video blogs on YouTube which attempt to portray the personalities of ‘Googlers’ and the values of the company. The fourth interview with LinkedIn agreed with this sentiment and said the company do the same through videos too but also through blogs and discussions online. This is again to give potential candidates a glimpse into life in the company to see if they could fit in well. The first interview with Deloitte also revealed that the company attempt the same thing using the same mediums. The data gathered

shows unanimously that employment image is mainly focused on company culture and expressing that to potential applicants. Deloitte also pay particular attention to what attributes candidates find important. This data is collected through surveys annually and they apply this data to their recruitment strategies. This is in line with the conclusions made by Highouse et al. (1999) who claim companies must find exactly what attributes are important to employees for successful recruitment. The article also points out that these attributes can vary particularly in different nations and multinational companies must adapt their recruitment strategies to suit the local landscape. This point was verified in the third interview with Allen Recruitment. The respondent gave an example of how healthcare is an important issue in Germany but not in Ireland so they had to be aware of this when creating job advertisements if they wanted to attract high numbers to the role. In this interview the respondent also revealed another benefit of social recruiting that to the researcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge has not been identified in the literature. This is that LinkedIn can gives signs to an organisation that certain staff members are unhappy. Signs can include users connecting with head hunters and also if a profile is updated it can be a sign the user is considering looking for a new job. These early warning signs can assist companies finding out the roots of these problems early and help them keep their talent. It was noted that this was only the case with LinkedIn considering that generally users are privy to the fact that their personal social media profiles (i.e. Facebook and Twitter) are monitored so they would not put up information on these websites suggesting job dissatisfaction. Cost savings was a key point discussed in the final interview with Boston Scientific. The respondent said the company had begun to rely on LinkedIn searches to find candidates instead of outsourcing to agency recruiters. The savings on agency fees was listed as the main advantage of social recruiting for the company. The literature review reports that social recruiting reduces cost per hire. This can be explained by a reduction in agency fees as the primary data shows how Boston Scientific successfully reduced their recruitment budget while still sourcing quality candidates. The literature and primary data were unanimous with the verdict that social recruiting increases the quantity/quality of candidates simply because of increased visibility through social networking sites. The interviews do go into more depth concerning employment image and give a more detail description as to what companies need to do. This is to engage with people on a more casual level and demonstrate the values and culture of the firm in order to prove to the candidates that they would be a good fit in the company and they also know that the attributes that are most important to them (e.g. pay, healthcare etc.) are given attention in recruitment strategy. 24

4.4 Research Objective 2: International The study conducted by Parry & Wilson (2009) showed that the most frequently occurring factors in the literature explaining why companies adopt social recruiting in terms of reach is due to an increased pool size of candidates. This increase in quantity can be partly explained by the second largest factor which shows that a portion of these come from international locations. As this study was an examination of all previous literature on the social recruiting it provides an answer to the second research objective. The benefit of social recruiting in an international context appears to be that it increases the overall pool of candidates available to recruiters by giving them access to overseas candidates through social networking sites. All interviews had a focus on the international aspect of social recruiting. Almost all of the respondents had a unanimous view and believed that this was one of the biggest advantages of social recruiting. In the first, second and third interview they made reference to the fact that there is an IT skills shortage in Ireland and that the only way to fill this gap was to look overseas and LinkedIn was the best platform to accomplish these goals. The data from the interviews therefore adds a more in depth answer as to why social recruiting is of value to organisations in an international context as it allows companies to search overseas based on the particular skill set they acquire. The third interview focusing on agency recruitment went into detail about how this process is carried out. Agencies can use LinkedInâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s data to find locations where there is a high availability and also high visibility of candidates. What this means is that a certain location has a high number of appropriate candidates but also a high proportion of these are actively looking for work. This is known as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;recruitment heat mapâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. With this information targeted job advertisements could be placed in these locations and these would provide a higher number of applications. While untargeted advertisements could yield less than 10 applications targeted ones could provide over 50. The fourth interview was an exception in that the respondent mainly sourced candidates locally but acknowledged social recruiting was useful in general for finding candidates internationally with multilingual skills and that this was become increasingly important for multinational companies. The findings of this research objective are clear as the literature showed the same results as the interview. Social networking sites can expand recruiters reach internationally which can be important if candidates cannot be sourced locally.

4.5 Research Objective 3: Online Screening Surveys cited in the literature review showed that, particularly in the US, viewing online profiles without the candidate’s permission is widespread. Empirical evidence cited also revealed that professionals were able to make accurate and quick assessments using this method which is what justifies its use for recruiters. That is to say it offers something more insightful than traditional method of assessment such as interviews. Sackett et al (1998) present the idea that candidates attempt to portray their “maximal” performance capabilities during normal interviews but online profiles give an indication of “typical” performance, therefore recruiters can use this too to get a more accurate assessment of what the actual output of a candidate will be if employed. It should be noted that this discovery would not apply to LinkedIn and other professional networks considering as they are used for finding employment. This makes it clear that members would also portray maximal performance on these sites. Therefore viewing a LinkedIn profile in terms of attempting to find typical work performance would suffer from the same alteration as traditional methods of assessment. Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites that are used more for personal connections is where recruiters would expect to find the indications of typical work performance. What this implies is that hirers are trying to get a more personal view of a candidate, rather than the resume-like view they will see on LinkedIn (Reppler, 2010). It is mainly for this reason that viewing online profiles without consent is considered an “acceptable practice for making hiring decisions for getting a quicker character sketch of the applicant” (Clark & Roberts, 2010. P. 508). As stated in the literature review it is widely used, particularly in the United States. The benefits are that it can give a better depiction of candidate suitability as demonstrated by the maximal/typical performance example. Also these assessments can be done at a much quicker speed than other methods of assessment like interviews. This efficiency is what makes it such an attractive tool. This saves the company’s time that would be investing interviews which reduces cost per hire, one of the key metrics. Despite these advantages and statistics of widespread adoption the primary data revealed a gap between theory and practice. The interviews conducted with those in corporate recruiting in particular emphasised that this was not done under any circumstances. All corporate recruiting interviews highlighted the ethical considerations of this method and stressed it as the main reason for not engaging with this method. Other reasons were given stating that it was not as effective as the literature states for different reasons which will be examined. Deloitte Ireland does not participate in this at all. The reason in this case (beyond the ethical implication) is that the company cannot afford to spend the time doing this especially during 26

annual graduate recruitment where thousands of applicants apply. This appears counter intuitive to the literature because one of the advantages given is that this method can save time. However the interviewer explained because the company makes a very large number of hires per year lengthy interviews process are unavoidable. With this in mind online information would only serve as add-on information rather than a replacement for the traditional methods and given the large number of hours devoted to interviews there is simply no time for further assessment. Another reason Deloitte Ireland reject this method is that the company feel their own methods already give the company an adequate assessment of the candidates. One example discussed was that candidates must prove their qualifications and job references. This links with the literature which showed that the main priority of HR professionals when searching online profiles was evidence that the candidates lied about their qualifications. Therefore under these circumstances this perceived benefit does not add any value for Deloitte. The respondent also emphasised the negative consequences of online screening as another deterrent. In the interview also revealed the companies worry that being known to invade candidates privacy could harm the employment image of the company. The interviewee explained that privacy is becoming more of a mainstream issue and people are now reassessing the value placed on it. It was also pointed out that many newspaper articles point that Facebook users are beginning to deactivate their accounts, particularly in the US and the UK. It was explained that there are two reasons suggested to have caused this. The first one being simply boredom, that the explosion of social media has possibly peaked and that people are in search of newer platforms with newcomers like Instagram and Vine becoming trendy. The second reason was that users were frustrated by their privacy being invaded and this, forced them to deactivate their accounts. In the interview with Boston Scientific the respondent had the same attitudes. It was noted that in Ireland in particular employees would not be comfortable with invading peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privacy. In the second interview the respondentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views on this subject were in agreement with the first. The decline in Facebook users due to the reasons previously mentioned was referenced. The topic of non work related content on social media profiles was also deliberated. The points made in the interview concur with the literature and reveal what makes people uncomfortable about the idea of having their online profiles viewed as it can show sides of themselves that they feel is not related their job and wish to keep some separation between their personal and professional lives. Both also stated that a company found to be invading peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privacy would undoubtedly have their reputation seriously damaged. A damaged reputation could be a cause of a company losing the war on talent. Deloitte Ireland faces strong competition from the other members of the Big Four who offer similar roles. The Deloitte interview covered the annual recruitment process the four companies go 27

through at the same time each year where candidates apply for multiple companies. The interviewers stated that the strongest graduates receive multiple job offers and obviously these are the ones the companies are fighting over. This is what makes it ultra competitive and makes employment image even more important. Corporate social responsibility also is becoming more and more of an important factor that â&#x20AC;&#x153;graduates and job candidates are asking about CSR and sustainability (Forbes, 2010). Therefore unethical practices could cause Deloitte to lose the brightest graduates. Considering the article â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Assessing Company Employment Imageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in the literature review discusses the important of finding out precisely what job seekers value most it follows that online screening carries a great risk in company reputation The legal issues of online screening were another key point which was brought up in fourth interview. The respondent spoken about how, a previous employer Facebook was aware of the legal implications of viewing online profiles. As stated in the literature review (Frauenheim, 2006, p.1) online screening may reveal information such age race or religion and that this information was off limits so organisations are potentially in danger of breaking the law which is another deterrent. The interview focusing on agency recruitment however generated different results. This is because agency recruiting differs from corporate recruiting. The interviewee first gave an overview of agency recruiting to explain the industry and the challenges faced. Agency recruiters are expected to give their clients a number of suitable candidates. This is expected to be done on 1-2 days notice usually. This puts a massive time restraint on agencies and the literature explains that one of the main advantages was it could give insights into suitability quickly. Considering that viewing online profiles provides solutions to the two main issues agencies face agencies that do not engage in this practice can make themselves less efficient than their competitors. Also the risks carried in online screening are not as prevalent. The downside of tarnished employment image is not an issue as the agency is looking to fill positions in other companies not theirs so the company is not as invested in the war on talent as a multinational company that makes thousands of hires per year. What agency recruiters look for on social network sites also revealed a departure from the literature. Signs of excessive social media activity (especially during work hours) and signs of procrastination or boredom in their current jobs were seen as most important red flags whereas in the literature lying about qualifications was seen as the most flagrant offence. It was explained that part of the payment structure to agencies involves long term stay of staff so avoiding candidates who show signs of changing jobs often was important in maximising revenues for the company. 28

Comparing these interviews shows a major flaw in the literature. While the method does have its advantages the risks it carries prove a company should not partake in it. This is the case for corporate recruiting only however where employment image is vital. As this is not the case for agency recruiters they should only be wary of the legal barriers in finding out sensitive information. Otherwise it provides a solution to the time restraints they face. .

5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 5.1 Introduction The conclusions given in this section are aimed at answering the set research objectives. This was accomplished through the culmination of a review of the academic literature and comparing and contrasting it with primary data gathered from interviews carried out with HR professionals. 5.2 Conclusion One: Value of Social Recruiting Social Recruiting gives organisations a greater quality and quantity of candidates. It is also a vital tool in promoting a companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s employment image which is important in the war on talent. Social networking sites give employees a large platform to make themselves visible to organisations. Even employees who are not actively seeking employment still have strong online presences mainly on LinkedIn. Social recruiting therefore has made communication between organisations and potential employees easier than ever. This has provided organisations with a superior talent pool to choose from and helping them improve the overall quality of staff. Apart from improving their talent pool social recruiting can ensure that organisations do not lose the most talented individuals to competitors. The literature and interviews show that the key to victory in the war on talent is by having a strong employment image and social recruiting can facilitate this through better engagement. By demonstrating the values and culture of a company job seekers will feel more assured they are joining a company that addresses their needs and are more likely to accept a job offer over a competitor. 5.3 Conclusion Two: International International candidates can be sourced through social networking websites by referrals and also through searches on LinkedIn. This is particularly useful if there are skill shortages locally. Recruiters can also benefit through targeted advertising in nations where desired skills are in high availability which will improve application rates. One of the main reasons that social recruiting provides a better talent pool is because international candidates are more accessible through social networking sites. Most of the interviews independently brought up the fact that in Ireland there is an IT skills shortage and that IT unemployment was almost at 0%. This lack of skills forces Irish companies to look for these skills overseas and the process is facilitated through LinkedIn in particular.

From a single company perspective LinkedIn also creates close communication of employees working for a multinational company. This was explained in the interview with Deloitte. The company can occasionally fill a role by looking at staff in similar positions in other countries. It was explained this was beneficial as the employees already have a proven track record and are familiar with the how the company operates which makes assimilation into the role easier. 5.4 Conclusion Three: Online Screening Examining online profiles may be an effective screening method by giving accurate assessments of candidates in a timely manner. However it can damage the employment image of a company and may prevent it from attracting top talent. Ethical issues aside, it appears very difficult to dispute the effectiveness of this method of online screening for two main reasons. The first is the fact that it appears to be almost universally adopted, in the US and the UK in particular. Two surveys in the literature showed that close to 100 percent of respondents used online information as part of their screening process. It also revealed that the information they find is a very significant factor in hiring decisions. The first survey showed that 70 percent of respondents rejected candidates based solely on this information and the second survey had an identical result of 70 percent. The second reason comes from the empirical evidence given in the study conducted by Kluemper et al (2009). The study saw recruiters estimate applicantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intelligence, grade point average and personality and measured them against the actual scores based on data the applicants had previously submitted. The predictions were accurate proving that it was an effective method of screening. The study also noted that these assessments could be done much quicker than the traditional methods. This is the reason why the practice is so popular, in that it can give accurate descriptions quickly. It saves time recruiters would otherwise spend interviewing candidates. The end result is lower cost per hire which is one of the key metrics in recruiting. Unfortunately for HR professionals this method is not without its risks. The information gathered in the interviews showed there is a major consequence of what many consider to be privacy invasion. Most of the interviewees showed a dislike for this practice, both from an organisational and personal standpoint. The exception to this was the interview exploring agency recruitments use of social media. Here the respondent explained the time constraints agencies are under to provide their clients with a high number of qualities CVs. These two problems that agencies face directly relate to the advantages offered by online screening. In the case of agency recruitment it appears to have the more benefit than in inhouse recruiting. Not only are the advantages of greater value, the downside of damaged employment image does not apply as agencies recruit for clients. What this shows is that firms must weigh the

advantages against the risks and see if it is worthwhile. The research here shows it appears to be a safe choice only in an agency context. 5.5 Theoretical and Managerial Implications This dissertation has shown that there is no major gap between theory and practice in regards to social recruiting. Both the literature and primary research agree it can increase the quality and quantity of candidate, both locally and internationally. Furthermore these advantages cost the company very little as most social media sites are free with the exception of LinkedIn but according to the primary research these fees a minimal. It also provides a free marketing tool to promote the company with enhanced engagement with job seekers giving them the opportunity to sell the company as an ideal place to work. The value of it is undisputable and there seems to be no opinion held to the contrary. Organisations that decide to not engage in this practice will be at a major disadvantage in the war on talent. From a management perspective there is one caveat. While viewing online profiles of candidates is a useful and convenient way to determine candidate suitability it is up to them to decide if they wish to do this at the expense of tarnishing their employment image which undermines one of the greatest advantages of social recruiting. As social recruiting becomes increasingly popular, HR professionals will also have try to find a way to stand out from the crowd. All companies have the chance to engage with potential candidates so it is imperative they do this in a more meaningful way to gain an advantage over their competitors. Social recruiting may also bring a new set of challenges for managers. Access to passive candidates was listed as one of the key benefits but this means that managers may begin losing some of their best employees. This may become a problem in the future and managers will need to be aware that their best talent may be poached by rival firms and will need to take steps to prevent this. 5.6 Limitations and Shortcomings The relatively low number of interviews would be the main limitations of the conclusions reached in this research. While the researcher feels the conclusions are correct due to the primary data largely matching up to the academic literature. Still a higher number of respondents would have provided a stronger level of verification. This number of low interviews is mainly due to the high failure rate of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cold callingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. All the interviews that were arranged came about through personal connections (mainly through the first interviewee reaching out to colleagues). The time taken to schedule interviews was also underestimated particularly as the research was conducted in the summer months where many were on holidays which caused significant delays. With this in mind attempts to schedule interviews earlier in the year should have been made. 32

5.7 Further Research Further research is needed in regards to the employment image aspect of social recruiting. As stated in the previous section, the social recruiting space is becoming increasingly filled with ‘noise’. What this implies is meaningful engagement becomes more difficult as people are bombarded with messages from a variety of sources. The interview focusing on agency recruiting revealed this to be the case and original ideas were needed to grab people’s attention. The interview briefly mentioned methods that seemed to be successful including the use of humour but also limiting social media output with a ‘less is more approach’. This was done with the aim of making messages more meaningful and not just one of many per day/week etc. HR professionals would therefore benefit from discovering the optimal way of engaging with clients to portray a superior employment image to maintain a competitive advantage in the war on talent. Humour and avoiding repetition appear to be two possible approaches to this but it is possible there are a host of different ways to accomplish this.

6.0 APPENDICES 6.1 Interview Questionnaires The following tables contain the questionnaires that were prepared prior to each interview. It should be noted that as the interviews were semi structured they all deviated from the original plan to facilitate more in depth answers of response that the researcher felt needed more information on. Questions were sometimes asked out of sequence and occasionally new questions were asked spontaneously. Table 6.1: First Interview Questionnaires Details Name

Rose Hogan

Company

Deloitte

Position

Resourcing Manager

Recruiting

Corporate Recruiting

Area Date of

2nd July 2013

Interview Questions 1.

Can you describe your duties for the company?

What are the main benefits of social recruiting for the company?

Is social media appropriate in the professional services industry? Is their different channels used for reaching different audiences?

Are there different social recruiting strategies for graduates and experienced hires?

What are your attitudes to online screening?

What advantages does social recruiting bring in an international sense?

Do you have any further comments or insights?

Table 6.2: Second Interview Questionnaire Details Name

Holly Fawcett

Company

Social Talent

Position

Digital Media Marketing Manager

Recruiting

Online Recruitment Training

Area 34

Date of

11th July 2013

Interview Questions 1.

Can you describe your duties for the company?

Do you think there is a difference in how companies approach graduates versus experienced hires in terms of social recruiting?

What are the benefits of social recruiting in your opinion?

What are the benefits in an international sense?

What do you think about online screening?

How do you think firms are using social recruiting to improve their employment image?

Can you describe talent pools and how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re facilitated by social recruiting?

Do you have any other futher comments or insights?

Table 6.3: Third Interview Questionnaire Details Name

Brian Cunningham

Company

Allen Recruitment Consulting

Position

Director

Recruiting

Agency Recruiting

Area Questions 1.

Can you talk about the agency recruitment industry and the role social media is now playing in it?

How does it help in an international sense?

Is online screening useful in agency recruiting?

Any further comments or insights?

Table 6.4: Fourth Interview Questionnaire Details Name

Barbara Gilleran

Company

Position

Talent Acquisition Manager

Recruiting

Corporate Recruiting

Questions 1.

Can you talk about to your duties in LinkedIn and how you feel the company had revolutionised recruiting?

What are the main benefits of social media in your opinion?

Internationally, what are the benefits?

What do you think about online screening?

Any further comments or insights?

Table 6.5: Fifth Interview Questionnaire Details Name

Barry O’Brien

Company

Boston Scientific

Position

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Recruitment

Corporate Recruiting

Area Questions 1.

Can you talk about to your responsibilities in Boston Scientific?

What are the main benefits your company gains from social media?

Are there any benefits in an international context?

What do you think about online screening?

Any further comments or insights?

6.2 Interview Proposal Letter The following letter was sent as an attachment in e-mails when contacting HR firms and other organisations looking for interviews. They were sent to introduce the possible respondent to the research, explain the topic and describe what questions would be asked. To whom it may concern, My name is Luke Verdon and I am a postgraduate student in Trinity College. I am e-mailing in relation to my dissertation research for my Msc in International Management. My research is in ‘social recruiting’ which is about social media’s evolving role in recruitment. I am looking to interview recruiters to gather information on this new method. If any recruiters (or anyone who feels they have experience or knowledge in this area) in the company are interested could they please email me to arrange an interview?

My aim is to analyse how social media has changed recruitment. This will involve looking at benefits, drawbacks, and brand promotion. I am also examining on the practice of HR professional viewing candidates social media profiles, to see what exactly they are looking for and to find why they decide to engage with this practice or not. Given my masters degree is in international management, I am also trying to see if there is any value on an international scale. This could involve access to a greater reach of candidates and also promoting the company globally to potential employees. My plan is to conduct interviews (no longer than 30 minutes) to find emerging trends and gather evidence as to how social media can be a valuable tool in the recruitment process. In terms of confidentiality, I would be happy to sign a non disclosure agreement and make my project private. As I am finished lectures I am very flexible and would be happy to work around otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedules. If you have any more questions regarding my research please do not hesitate to email me at verdonl@tcd.ie or by phone: 0857282781. This would be a tremendous help for me completing my masters so I would be happy to do anything necessary to accommodate for someone who is interested in attending this interview. I hope to hear from you soon. Regards, Luke Verdon

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