Research Work Presentation

on

Employee Recruitment
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1
 Contents
• Introduction
• Need and Importance of the Study
• Research objectives
• Methodology
• Major Findings
• Managerial Implications
• Research Outcome

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 Introduction
• India has retained its second position globally in terms of hiring outlook
of companies- global staffing firm Manpower Group ,2015
• 66% of HR professionals said the war for identifying the right talent was
getting “fiercer” (Talent Trends Report—HR Game Changers, 2015)
• According to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, 2015, Indian
employers are bullish about hiring plans
• In India, employer hiring intention remained positive in all the seven
sectors [June 10, 2015, Empower]
• The recruitment process now has various dimensions, which can be
broadly classified into two categories — online and offline (Ashish
Agarwal, 2017, The Hindu)
• Despite extensive advancements in the field of telecommunication,
newspaper announcements are the most commonly used approaches to
employee recruitment (Fyock, 1988, Greenberg, 1986), as it is the most
dependable and cost effective medium among all forms of media
(Mcintosh et. al. 2000). 3
 Introduction (conti…)
• Press is permanent, a record keeper of times we live in, once it is in the
newspaper its out there in the world forever. Digital can only makes us
feel but press can make us think. Televisions they say its just chewing
gum for the eyes. But print is adrenalin for the souls
• Agnello Dias, Co-founder, Taproot Denstu, PoP, Brand Equity,
April, 2017

• According to the reports of World Press Trends (2015), newspapers

around the world are successfully proving their value to advertisers
despite booming competition.
• Globally, more than 93% of all newspaper revenues continue to come
from the print versions, and print versions would continue to be a
major source of revenue for many years to come (Larry Kilman, 2015).

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• The Audit Bureau of Circulation reports print circulation in India is
following the global trend, and has grown up to 4.87% in past ten years
(Soumya Gupta, 2017).
• Print media (7.3%) was the second largest industry in this sector, behind
only TV (14.7%). [KPMG India’s analysis and estimates 2016-2017].
Moreover circulation is higher in northern and southern regions of the
country.
• As per the latest report from Zenith, the ROI agency of the Publicis
Group, In India, newspapers will continue to be the most dominant media
segment for the next three years in advertising aspects. 38.9% for print ad
expenditure while 11.9% for internet ad in India (Gaurav Laghate,
Economic Times, Dec 2017)
• Besides, newspaper job advertisement allows a recruiting firm to establish
and highlight its successful existence in a society (Sisodia and
Chowdhary, 2012).
• The recent works of Baum and Kabst (2014) underscored the importance
of using print recruitment ads simultaneously with recruitment websites
for applicant attraction.

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Introduction Conti…..

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• On the other hand, In India, Online recruitment activities registered a 6%
growth for February and a 4% growth for March, according to the
Monster Employment Index (Economic Times, April 2017).
• SNS is a gold mine for recruiters because online networks are full of
precious data, both personal and professional. Recruiters are digging deep
to uncover what really matters.
• 96% of employers now use social media to hire job candidates. 87% of
them specifically use LinkedIn to decide which candidate to hire (jobvite
national employer survey).
• These statistics reveals us significant usage of P-SNS for recruitment in
India. Therefore, India is seen as an mix of two extreme scenario in case
of recruitment process, one is the prominent use of print media for posting
job ads and other is the upcoming trend in using PSNS such as LinkedIn
to source potential candidates.

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 Need for the study
• Hiring through recruitment activities has become crucial human resource
function for the continued growth of any organization (Lin, H.F., 2015).
• Skill gaps are so bad in some spaces and investing in portraying an
employer attractiveness is need of the hour (recruitics.com, 2018).
• It is thus the duty of the organizations to employ a distinctive recruitment
advertising strategy mix that projects the organization and the job offers as
the dream destination for job- seekers (Sisodia,S., & Chowdhary,N.,2013).
• The research that addresses how the nature of a job offer, the contents in
the advertisement may affect inferences drawn by applicants about a job
with an organization seems particularly important (Breaugh, J. A., 2014).
• Therefore, it increases the concern for conceiving attractive strategies in the
content of recruitment advertisements and the need to investigate the
contents/dimensions of recruitment advertising has become more
pronounced.

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• There are numerous studies on assessing content of commercial product
advertisement, but analyzing job advertisement and its contents for effectiveness
has seldom been addressed. Moreover Indian studies are very limited
• Recruitment advertisements have been an easy and fast solution to the common
problem that most firms have, i.e., attracting qualified and right people.” [a]
• For a recruitment message to be effective, communicating the needs of the
organisation is an important factor and also should create awareness,
importantly employer branding. [b]
• A well-thought and creatively crafted recruitment ad has a direct
bearing not only on the future prospects, but also the stakeholders,
business partners and employees within the company. [c]

a. Roopesh Agarwal, director,Advertisementindia.com

b. Ryan Menezes, chief creative officer, Percept/H
c. Ami Dedhia, assistant manager - training & employee engagement (human resource
department),Bonanza Portfolio Pvt. Ltd. (Remmy Award, 2011)

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 Need for the Study (Conti…)
Faculty shortage is one of the biggest grouses of any vice chancellor [a]
Dilution of quality [b]

Newspaper (Empower & Ascent) analysis Report

Total no of newspapers analyzed: 102

Industrial sector No of job ads Percentage of job ad appearance during June (2014 - 15)
Educational Sector 267 42 %
Manufacturing sector 237 37.2 %
Healthcare sector 59 9.3 %
Banking & Insurance 56 8.9 %
IT Sector 17 2.6 %

a. Career 360 degree report

b. tribuneindia.com dated 29.04.15,(A.K. Sarkar Senior Professor, Dept. of
Civil Engineering and Director, BITS Pilani Campus ) 10
 Recruitment advertisement
• Job advertisements are important tools used by companies to attract talented
employees. Main functions of job ads are informing potential employees about
job posts and convincing them to apply for the job (Esra Alniacik, 2016)
• Job Ads act in two analytically distinct directions: attracting people into
organizations and impressing people about organizations (Rafaeli, A. and
Oliver, A. L., 1998)
• Job advertisements are a more reflective opinion about the necessary and
desired employer requirements from candidates (Cullen, 2004)
• The information provided in the job advertisements acts as a powerful portal in
connecting job seeker and the employer by developing a strong organizational
identity perception in the minds of the potential applicants (Walker and
Hinojosa, 2014)
• The effective recruiting advertising is to attract potential applicants’ attention
and then persuade them to apply (Barber, 1998)

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 Awards for Job ads
• Remmy award for print recruitment with Ascent was awarded in the
year 2012 in India
• RAD Awards has championed the very best of recruitment
communications (Online & Offline). Print ad - British Army ad
• Best Employment ad as part of the annual Internet Advertising
Competition (IAC) Awards. Best recruitment website awards 2017,
airbnb
• Creative Excellence Awards: the Best Recruiting Ad Campaigns (World
Wide)
• Recruitment Business Awards 2017 (US)
• Recruitment Marketing Awards (UK)

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 Top Recruiting firms in India
• ABC Consultants – 1969, Delhi
• Adecco India – 1996, Bangalore
• CareerNet – 1999, Bangalore
• SutraHR – 2008, Mumbai
• AON Hewitt -1940, US

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 Literature Support
• Based on the signaling theory and instrumental symbolic framework,
the following job ad dimensions are explored from existing studies and
are applied to explore the same in the Indian newspaper job ads.

Attractiveness Dimensions Percentage of dimension usage in Indian Job Ads

Job/work characteristics 61%
Corporate image 12%
HR offerings/Organizational attributes 11%
Aesthetic Appeal 9%
Organizational value and culture 7%
Employee testimonial NIL

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 Literature Review
S.No Author/year Constructs Studied Methodology Country
1 Gomes, and Job characteristics, Marketing professionals & UG Portugal
Neves, (2011). organizational attributes, students, job ad as stimulus,
attractiveness, intention to apply convenience
2 Lyons & Aesthetic feature, employment UG students, 4 actual job USA
Marler, (2011). content info, image, P-J fit, websites
attractiveness
3 Roberson, Q. Message specificity, UG students of HRM, general USA
M., Collins, C. organizational attributes, P-O fit, & specific recruitment
J., & Oreg, S. Attractiveness, intention to messages were given
(2005). apply
4 Lemmink, Information source use, Dutch graduate business Netherland
Schuijf & familiarity, corporate image, students, 11 different well- s
Streukens company employment image, known Dutch companies, 6 set
(2003). intention to apply of questionnaires
5 Schreurs & Information sources, familiarity, Literature review Canada
Syed (2011) job and organizational attributes,
attitude, job pursuit intention,
image, P-J, P-O fit

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S.No Author/year Constructs Studied
6 Feldman et al Ad informative, appropriateness,
(2006) relevance, attitude towards ad
and organization, intention to
apply
7 Sisodia (2012) Visually illustrative images
8 Rafaeli, Anat Individual, organizational,
(1998) occupational, industry, society,
Inductive buildup of a
configurational analysis to
employment ads.
9 Turban & Job, organizational attributes,
Forrest (1998) organizational reputation,
attractiveness, recruiter behavior
10 Gregory et al Job and organizational
(2013) attributes, aesthetics, website
usability, attitude towards ad
and organization, attractiveness
(ELM & sig)
Methodology Country
specific/general information on USA
three position facets (i.e., the
company, the job itself, and the
work context) on a series of
dependent variables. UG BBA
students
Content analysis of service India
sector job ads
Analyzed job ads of 10 Israel
newspapers in English in five
different countries that included
Australia, England, Canada,
Hong-Kong and US
Applicants surveyed before and USA
after campus interview
10 actual company sites, 5 high USA
in aes, use, info & 5 low in these
were shown to UG students and
data collected
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 Literature Gap
• The effectiveness of recruitment message which needs to be analyzed from
the perspective of job seekers. (Rafaeli, A., & Oliver, A. L. (1998)).
• To study about the impact of job ads on prospective applicant’s perceptual
outcomes (Rai, H., & Kothari, J., 2008; Lyons, B. D., & Marler, J. H.,
2011; Gregory, C. K., Meade, A. W., & Thompson, L. F., 2013).
• To study about the influence of Aesthetic factors on potential job seeker’s
and particularly the use of color (Feldman, Daniel C et al, 2006; Walker,
H. J., Feild, H. S., Giles, W. F., & Bernerth, J. B., 2008; Saleem, F., 2010).
• To study about the ads that contain specific information with reference to
HR offerings and their relationship to intention to apply (Rafaeli, A., &
Oliver, A. L., 1998; Nolan, K. P., Gohlke, M., Gilmore, J., & Rosiello, R., 2013).
• To study the influence of organizational familiarity on the job seeker’s
application intention (Gomes & Neves, 2011)
• Research is needed to understand when job seekers with limited brand
knowledge will exert the effort to pursue more information and develop
more brand associations in order to increase accuracy (Collins, C. J., &
Kanar, A. M., 2014).
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• Study among real-life job seeker is needed (Acarlar, & Bilgiç, 2013)
• Demographical variable influence on job seeker’s perception and intention
(Van Birgelen, Wetzels, & van Dolen, 2008).
• Recruitment ads are studied predominantly from western countries, but
Indian studies are completely nil.

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 Theory support
Theory Explanation Authors Studied (in recruitment context)
Signaling Higher qualification, leads to Spence (1973), Rynes,et al (1991), Turban,et al. (1995),
theory higher candidate quality Turban et al (1998), Turban, (2001), Turban, & Cable,
perception by recruiter – (2003), Chapman, et al. (2005), Ehrhart, & Ziegert,
information asymmetry (2005), Braddy, et al (2006). Allen, et al (2007).
Thompson, et al (2008), Ma, & Allen, (2009), García, et
al, (2010), Celani & Singh (2010), Connelly, et al,
(2011). Gomes, and Neves, (2011), Gregory et al
(2013), Van Hoye & Xavier Baeten (2012), Holtbrügge,
& Kreppel, (2015), Lu & Liou (2015).

Instrumental Instrumental- Physical & tangible Lievens and Highhouse (2003), Lievens, Hoye, &
-Symbolic attributes Schreurs (2005), Ehrhart, & Ziegert, (2005), Lievens, et
framework Symbolic- intangible attributes, al (2007). Lievens, (2007), Schreurs, et al (2009), Celani
for image perception & Singh (2010), Van Hoye & Saks (2011), Schreurs, &
recruitment Syed, (2011).Van Hoye and Lievens (2013), Nolan, et
al. (2013), Lambert, (2016).
ELM- general framework for Petty & Cacioppo, (1981), Weilbaker & Merritt (1992)
Elaboration organizing, categorizing, and Buda, Richard (2003), Carless, (2003), Roberson, et al
Likelihood understanding the basic (2005), Jones, et al. (2006), Dineen, et al (2007), Walker
Model processes underlying the et al (2008), Mugford (2009), Baum, & Kabst, (2010),
effectiveness of persuasive Gregory et al (2013), Imam & Batool (2013), Collins, &
communications. Kanar (2014)
Central route & peripheral route 19
Conceptual Model

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 Top HR journals
• Human Resource Management Review
(Elsevier)
• Human Resource Management (Wiley)
• Human Resource Management Journal (Wiley)
• International Journal of Human Resource
Management (T&F)

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 Objectives
• Study 1: To study about the effectiveness of
print recruitment advertisement
• Study 2: To empirically investigate on the
signaling effect of job ad informational
contents on the job seeker.
• Study 3: To study the effect of color and
illustrative image in Print Job Advertising

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 Research Methodology
• The study is descriptive in nature.
• Simple random sampling was followed
• As the population is infinite, we have used Item to subject’s ratio from 1:2 to
1:10 (Anthoine, 2014; Costello and Osborne, 2005 & & MacCallum et al,
1999)). So our sample size is obtained as number of items multiplied by 10.
• Out of 300 distributed questionnaire, 264 useful questionnaire were received
and analyzed.
• The respondents were defined as the potential job seekers in academic field such
as, existing faculty, scholars in academic institutions and PG final year students
who aspire to work as faculty.
• The response were collected from NITT (89/100), IITM(40/50), Deemed
University(50/60), and Private colleges arts(40/40), private engineering collges
(45/50) coverings 4 major cities of Tamilnadu (Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, and
Coimbatore).
• Questionnaire survey method is adopted. The respondents must view the 3
stimulus job ads ands then respond to the questions that follows. First 2 job ads
contains unknown institution and one NITT ad as it is familiar institute around
the country.
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 Study 1: effectiveness of print recruitment
advertisement
Primary Objective:
A comparative study on the influence of recruitment ad’s information
specificity/aesthetic appeal/organizational familiarity on the potential job seeker
Secondary Objective
•To examine the impact of information specific (IS) job ad, organizational
familiarity job ad (FAM) and Aesthetically (AES) appealing job ad in creating
positive image about the organization (OI), attraction (ATTR)
•To analyze the direct and indirect effects of recruitment ad’s information
specificity and aesthetic appeal and familiarity in inducing application intention
(AI) in a job seeker.
•To find out the mediating role of image, attraction in linking information
specificity, aesthetic appeal, familiarity with application intention
•To compare the effective role of information specificity, aesthetic appeal and
familiarity in causing image, attraction, and application intention in a job seekers
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Model

25
Stimulus Ads

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 Findings & implications
• The path coefficient comparative analysis clearly indicates that independent
variables, aesthetics, information specificity, and familiarity are observed to be
significantly associated with attitude formation in a job seeker, organizational
attractiveness and organizational image
• The highest level of significance is observed with the independent variable,
“organizational familiarity” being the reason behind the organizational image
and attraction perception in a job seeker
• Next level of significance is observed with “information specificity”, which is
attributed with influencing the attitude of the job seeker towards the ad and the
organization.
• Next level of significance is observed with “Aesthetics”, which is influential in
displaying the organization as a dream destination for the potential job seeker
• These levels indicates that aesthetics, information specificity and familiarity are
all the important dimensions that helps the applicant to choose wisely as well as
helps the organization in image building aspects and also in pooling high quality
applicants

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• The study reveals that information specificity in a job ad is the only dimension
that is directly related with achieving application intention in a job seeker.
Therefore, providing information specific job ad is the ultimate factor in
persuading job seekers effectively, in case of unfamiliar organization.
• Moreover, JWC persuades the Job seeker to recommend to peer groups about the
job opening. Therefore, recruiters can obtain maximum number of potential
applicants
• The study also reveals that aesthetics and familiarity dimensions are insignificant
in achieving application intention directly. Which means that mere familiarity or
aesthetically appealing job ad does not persuades the job applicant favorably
• Notably, the study demonstrates that, in case of aesthetics and familiarity,
application intention is significantly achieved through the mediation efforts of
image, attraction and attitude components
• The job seeker predicts the job ad to be trustworthy and reliable, when job and
work characteristics details are completely given. This implies that recruiters
must give the complete picture of job and work attribute in their job ads
• The study finally declares that it is important to creatively and aesthetically
design a job ad with job and organizational specific information, such that the
firms can pool a right kind of applicant to apply for the job.
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 Study 2
Primary Objective:
To study about the signaling effect of job ad informational contents
on the potential job seeker

Secondary objectives:
•To analyze the impact of job attributes on the job seeker’s perception of
organizational attraction, attitude and P-O fit perception
•To identify whether job attributes might have direct impact on job seeker’s
application intention
•To excavate the effect of organizational attributes on the job seeker’s
perception of organizational attraction, attitude and P-O fit perception
•To identify whether organizational attributes might have direct impact on
job seeker’s application intention

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Study Model

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Stimulus ad

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 Findings
• Our findings reveals that information on job characteristics and
organizational attributes in job ads plays a significant role in
determining an application intention by inducing the perceptual
outcomes in a job seeker.
• The direct relationships among job characteristics, organizational
attribute, and application intention are insignificant. However the
perceptual outcomes in a job seeker such as organizational
attractiveness, attitude of the job seeker and perception of P-O fit are
found to fully mediate these relationships.
• The job attributes are found to be high in causing organizational
attractiveness perception than any, while organizational attributes are
high in causing favorable attitude in a job seeker.
• Both job attributes and organizational attributes are equally significant
to cause person-organizational fit perception in a job seeker.

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 Implications
• This study stresses on the significance of communicating complete job and
organizational characteristics information in job advertisements for effective
recruitment.
• Recruiters and human resource managers must focus on designing a job ad
with details of job characteristics and organizational attributes information.
According to our study, they transmit meaningful signals about the job and
organization and thus create attractiveness, positive attitude and P-O fit
perception, all of which result in application intention in a job seeker.
• The details in a recruitment advertisement affect respondents in many ways.
The job and work-related details in job advertisements attract the job seeker
and show the organization as an attractive job site for the potential applicants.
• A job detail affects the attitude of the job seeker and displays the recruiting
organization as being a genuine, sincere, and trustworthy job destination.
• They help the job seeker in matching their skills with those required by the
job to arrive at P-O fit perception.

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• Organizational attribute-related information is initially highly
influential in grabbing the job seeker’s perceptual process to assess the
personal needs and that of organizational offerings. Secondly,
organizational extra benefits and offerings are observed to shape the
attitude of the job seeker positively and depict the recruiting
organization as being dependable and increases credibility. Thirdly,
organizational attribute details in job ads portray the recruiting
organization as an attractive place of employment.
• Human resource professionals, ad agencies, and academic institutions
would benefit from this study in understanding the importance of
content effectiveness in recruitment ads in order to persuade the
potential job seeker.
• Therefore, it is recommended that recruiting organizations in India
invest in strategic recruitment advertising that highlights the
organizational personnel requirements and promotes application
intention in a desired candidate

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 Study 3
Primary Objective:
To study the effect of color and illustrative image in print job ads
•Secondary Objectives:
•To analyze the difference of effects between using color and image in
job ads
•To identify the effect of using cool colors vs warm color in job ads
•To analyze whether color and image concept in job ads differ from that
of commercial product ad concepts
•To the analyze the impact of demographical variables on the model

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Model

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 Findings
• Role of color red in print job advertisement does not exert any effect
over the job seeker’s attitude about job, advertisement and the
organization. Therefore, the effect of warm color such as red usage in a
print job advertisement is not same as that of perspectives of commercial
print advertisements.
• Red color in job ad is not associated with causing application intention
in a job seeker. Our results make a clear distinction between job
advertisements and other product advertisements in case of an aesthetic
element, red color. Since color red is not associated with causing attitude
and application intention in a job seeker, mediation effects were not
identified.
• The use of cool colors such as blue and white has potentially influenced
the job seeker positively. This is consistent with the works of Ridgway
& Myers (2014) and Labrecque & Milne (2012) in marketing
perspectives. Here a clear similarity is observed between cool color
usage in product advertising and that of recruitment advertising.
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• On the other hand, we found a significant relationship between visual
images and attitude formation in a job seeker. Direct relationship in
causing application intention is not observed, however, attitude fully
mediates the relationship.
• Demographic variable such as gender, age, experience, and
qualification of the job seeker does moderate the model to certain
extend. In all the cases, warm colors were found to be negatively
influencing job seeker’s attitude or intention, while cool color such as
blue positively affects job seeker’s attitude or intention
• Gender moderation reveals that female job seekers were negatively
influenced with to respect to color red, while male job seekers were not
influenced at al. In case of cool color such as blue, male job seekers
were found to be greatly affected than female job seekers
• Moreover, we found that both gender was significantly affected visual
image however; women had greater affinity towards the visual image
used in the ad than men did. Portrayal of women in the ad tends to
favor feminism (Kyrousi, Panigyrakis, & Panopoulos, 2016) and hence
it becomes obvious that female job seekers are positively influenced by
the illustrative image in the job ad than men.
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• Age of respondents did vary with respect to the effect of warm color on job
seeker’s attitude. Job seekers with above 30 years of age group had negative
influence on the relationship, which mean that color red negative influences
the attitude of the middle-aged people, which is consistent with the works of
Child et al. (1968) and Benson et al.(2000). Moreover, the influence of color
blue and the visual image in job ad is found to be significant across all age
group of job seekers.
• Experience level of job seeker signifies that low experienced job
seekers have negative influence on the relationship between color red
and application intention, while color blue greatly influenced highly
experienced people. The visual image had its effect only on the low
experienced job seeker, in creating application intention in a job
seeker. While the effect of visual image on job seeker’s attitude
formation is observed to highly significant across all levels of job
seeker’s experience.

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• Warm color created negative attitude in the minds of PhD qualified
job seekers, while cool colors were significant across all levels of
qualification. However, PhD qualified job seekers were highly
influenced by color blue than PG qualified job seekers. This again
reiterates the phenomenon observed with respect experience and
middle-aged job seekers. As the age, experience, and qualification is
higher, the job seekers are found to have affinity towards the
universally accepted color blue (Kauppinen‐Raisanen, 2014).
• The impact of visual image on job seeker’s attitude was found to be
significant across both the qualification level of job seekers.
However, PhD qualified had greater affinity towards the image than
PG qualified ones.

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 Implications
• We suggest Indian institutional recruiters to delimit the use of red color
and use more of other cool colors such as blue and white combination
in job ad. Particularly must pay attention in incorporating a visually
illustrative image in a recruitment advertisement.
• In our study, we used an image in job ad that illustrates about the
teaching technique or environment and they are very much
emphasizing on the advertising claim. Subsequently we could
understand that a visually illustrative image in job advertisements
serves best, to capture job seeker attention, and makes the
advertisement to last in their minds for a longer time.
• Illustrative visual image tends to communicate a lot meaningfully
about the recruiting organization to the potential job seekers. Hence,
recruiters and academic institutions must carefully design visual
images such that they add meaning to the purpose of job advertised.

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• Organizations in need of female candidates for the job can do so by
posting a colorful job ad in blue combinations and with a female
portrayed illustrative image in their recruitment advertisement. In case
of equal opportunity employer, recruiters must design a job ad in cool
colors with depiction of both genders in visual illustrations to attract
both kinds of applicant pool.
• In order to attract job seekers with high experience, with PhD degree
who will be obviously above 30 years of age group, the recruiters are
suggested to not to use color red in their job advertisements. Because,
our study proves that color red is a negative influencer of job seekers
attitude particularly with respect to these demographics.
• The similar effect is observed for the less experienced and PG
qualified ones too. Therefore, the recruiters are suggested to use cool
colors such as blue with white combinations along with visual
illustrative images in their job ads.
• Consequently, cool color leads to immediate attention and makes the
reader to relax and further continue reading. Meanwhile, the visually
illustrative image that is self-explanatory will persuade the job seeker
to have intention to pursue job in the organization.
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 Why study PSNS?
• According to Pew Research, 86 percent of 18-29 year-olds – the majority of
today’s job market – use at least one social media site. They depend on it for
communication, socializing, news, entertainment, and finding jobs.
Therefore, it is appropriate that HireRight’s 2017 Benchmark Report found
that social networking was the fastest-growing means of recruiting,
attracting, or finding new hires; engaging prospective candidates via
LinkedIn, Twitter and similar social media rose 10 percent in popularity over
the previous year. Meanwhile, job boards – the most popular traditional
digital means of reaching the job market – actually fell three percent (Lewis
Lustman, 2017).
• E-Recruitment studies have been conducted mainly in the developed nations
and in western societies. There is a need for more research in this domain in
Asian and African countries in future to get a global perspective of e
recruitment, especially in India.
• By 2020, India will provide 250 million workers to the world labor pool at a
rate of 18 million workers/ year, as per projections by the United Nation‟s
World Population Prospects (2010).

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• Almost half of India’s current population is less than 25 years in age makes it a
hub for young and dynamic workforce for future. Keeping in mind the
importance of India’s labor force and its role in India’s future role in world
economy, it is necessary that studies be conducted to understand how the internet
and social media recruitment tools are influencing the Indian labor market.
• LinkedIn is emerging as a strong competitor to other recruitment platforms in
India, with employers giving more credit to profiles received via its platform.
Employers consider them more credible. While start-ups in India predominantly
use social media for hiring, passive hiring in the country is also on the rise and
LinkedIn is the preferred tool for recruiters looking for passive job seekers
(Forbes Article, 2016).
• With its networking strengths, experts say LinkedIn is fast emerging as a
competitor to mainstream recruitment platforms such as Naukri.com and
Shine.com and an array of job consultancies in India (Livemint, 2017).
• A survey conducted among 100 Ireland and UK social job seekers reveals that
the Social Medias Facebook and LinkedIn were the mostly used platforms for job
search (Joanne McDonagh, 2017).
• Recently LinkedIn released a list of top social recruiters for 2017 and they were
all mostly IT field recruiters and hence we can understand that IT industry is
been benefitted maximum by social hiring.
• Therefore, there is a need to excavate SNS usage effectiveness from job seekers
in IT industry has to be studied in depth.
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 Research Gaps
• Study on student’s attitude towards a social media as a recruitment tool is an
established study in UK perspective; so, it has to be analyzed in Indian perspectives.
Because, India is a country were traditional media usage is higher than internet
usage. Moreover, studying about the effectiveness of professional networking sites
particularly for recruitment is a unique aspect in recruitment literature (Al Baghlani
& Al Tabbaa, 2014).
• Many existing studies, analyzed the website effectiveness of a fictitious website, so
the use of real recruitment website are the importance of the hour, as it might reveal
enriching results (Priyadarshini, Sreejesh, & Anusree, 2017).
• Job seeker’s tendency towards website’s privacy risk and its impact on attitude and
intention has to be explored (Van Birgelen, Wetzels, & van Dolen, 2008).
• As technology advances, customers can exchange information more easily in real
time; a user viewing an advertisement on a social media channel thus may be
simultaneously interacting with others. Does this dynamic environment affect
advertising success?(Aguirre, Mahr, Grewal, de Ruyter, & Wetzels, 2015).
• Moreover, study should also investigate whether individual differences such as age,
gender, work experience, frequency of use of SNS have any influence on job seeker
intentions to use job-search websites (Lin, 2010) and their attitude towards website
(Sylva, & Mol, 2009).

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 Objectives
Primary Objective:
To study about the effectiveness of using PSNS for recruitment
Secondary Objectives:
•To analyze the impact of PSNS website characteristics such as information
quality, aesthetics & interactivity on job seeker’s perception of usability and
playfulness
•To analyze whether job seeker’s perception of PSNS website usability and
playfulness might persuade favorable attitude and usage intention
•To identify the potential influence of privacy risk on the attitude and
intention
•To compare the study model between two types of population (IT
Professionals & Students)
•To indentify the demographical influence on the model

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Model

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 Findings
• The entire model is fit and all hypothesis are accepted in case of
combined population samples
• When observed based on IT professional and student sample certain
results differ
• The website characteristics such as Information quality, website
interactivity and aesthetics were all positively favoring the PSNS
website as an highly usable and interesting platform from IT
employees and students perspectives, while information quality in
PSNS was observed to be interesting only for students.
• Moreover PSNS interactive characteristic was found to be more
interesting and usable for IT professionals than students. Both the type
of samples were equally influenced by the PSNS aesthetics and they
portrayed PSNS website usability and playfulness.
• Male job seekers views the quality recruitment information as
enjoyable and fun in job searching while the female job seekers doesn’t
feels so. 48
• Age significantly moderates the relationship between information
quality and website usability.
• While only age moderates the relationships between website
interactivity and website usability
• Age significantly moderates the relationship between website
aesthetics and website usability.
• The relationship between information quality and website usability is
highly significant for middle age group of people, than for young
respondents.
• Similarly, the relationships between website interactivity and website
usability are significant only for middle age respondents and
insignificant for young respondents.
• Website aesthetics enhances website usability aspect and it is highly
significant for middle-aged respondents than young respondents.
• Information quality, website interactivity, and website aesthetics are
considered as highly valuable factors for enhancing usability nature of
the PSNS website, particularly for middle-aged respondents, who
might be IT employees predominantly.
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• when privacy risk is low, the relationship between website attitude and
intention is higher. While the risk is high, the relationship between
attitude and intention will be lower.
• Information quality and playfulness is significant for high freq users of
PSNS but insignificant for low freq users
• Information quality and usability is highly significant for high feq
users than low freq users
• PSNS interactivity and playfulness and usability was only significant
for high freq users of PSNS
• PSNS aesthetics and playfulness and usability was significant across
both high & low freq users
• Usability caused attitude only in case of high freq users. But
playfulness caused attitude in both cases
• Attitude caused intention and it is high in high freq users than low freq
users

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 Implications
• The student samples are more into information quality aspect of PSNS
website but least towards website interactive features. So, in order to
enhance the graduating student interest towards interactive feature of
PSNS, recruitment of fresher through PSNS such as LinkedIn and
other sites must be promoted. Website interactivity makes the web
platform a more like face-to-face interaction and it is the ultimate
feature of any social networking platform. Through which the cost of
campus recruitment can be minimized largely and they are useful in
connecting students and colleges from any part of the country.
• This study suggests that it is the responsibility of the HR managers to
make the recruitment information more exciting or interesting for job
seekers and to interact constantly with the valuable talents to make
them apply for the job in the organization.
• In addition, it is also the responsibility of the PSNS website
administrators to update and send accurate, timely, and relevant job
and recruiter information to PSNS users. The website design aspect
such as the use of graphics, icons, and innovative designs should also
be updated frequently to make it more fun to experience.

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• The designers must monitor understandability of the fonts and
communication issues efficiently. These characteristics in the PSNS
website makes a huge impact on the mentality of job seekers about the
website and kindles re-visit intention, when impressed.
• The PSNS website designers should maintain the website as a trusted
one for its users. Reduced risk in PSNS leads to effectiveness of
recruitment activity for recruiters and re-visit intention for job seekers.
• High frequent users of PSNS are the mostly influenced job seekers by
the website characteristics. Therefore, website administrators, can
maintain such high intensity users by offering benefits of using their
PSNS and send job recommendations accordingly.
• A useful PSNS website helps the job seeker to become fully aware of
all the available opportunities in the job market. Moreover they help in
making better job related decisions and in choosing the right recruiter
and job destination. Because of these characters, job seekers will be
more involved in PSNS than any other websites for job search.

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• Thank You

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