This paper explores effects and issues associated with Social Media and Recruitment and whether it is effective as an innovative e-entrepreneurship method of attracting appropriate employees for enterprises from a multi stakeholder perspective. Human Resources Management professionals have been using different methods of Social Media in their recruitment strategies with varying degrees of success. By examining social media and its effect this can support the development of a more effective Human Resources Recruitment strategy. Additionally increased communication channels might enable the development of a more positive internal enterprise culture. The research was conducted using both primary and secondary data. Professionals, recruiters and employees have been questioned on their views of Social Media from a personal and a professional perspective through a variety of methods including focus groups and questionnaires. This paper provides a framework that can be used by enterprises in order to create their own Social Media recruitment cycle.
TopIntroduction
This paper is a further study, to a previous investigation of e-recruitment (Lewis et al., 2010), with the aim to critically explore whether social media and online recruitment are effective innovative e-entrepreneurship methods in attracting appropriate employees for enterprises.
An innovative e-entrepreneurship method is an effective new method used by enterprises involving electronic processes. Further dimensions, not covered in this study, are recruiting for new ventures and new ventures for recruiting, which are interesting avenues for future research. Social media enables enterprises to provide a dedicated service (vehicle) to attract appropriate employees to augment their talent management strategy (Eduardo, 2006). Social media is used by many enterprises and individuals in order to market their corporate brands and can give the enterprise a new identity to compete in a competitive market (Doherty, 2010). Social Media can be an excellent starting point for recruitment as “key metrics” such as cost and time to hire are measurable and it is possible to substantiate improvement (Doherty, 2010). Social Media allows individuals to create their online profile and have a network of friends and colleagues (Henderson & Bowley 2010). Individuals can then upload pictures and personal details enabling users to create an online profile and a visible, virtual network of their friends (Henderson & Bowley 2010).
Online recruitment has dramatically grown since the mid 1990’s when the economic climate resulted in a considerable demand for employees with a strong academic background and relevant experience (Lee, 2005:175). Recruitment methods have consequently changed in enterprises, and by individuals when looking for their next opportunity, and also looking at the ways in which individuals are applying for roles. Online recruitment has consistently shown itself to be one of the most substantial shifts in recruitment practice in the last ten years (Lee, 2005:175).
The literature review in this paper details previous research and media coverage regarding social media and online recruitment. Much of the research is focused on the importance of having a clear social media strategy and how the subsequent changes implemented by these enterprises might impact on individuals who use these sites. Although existing research indicates that recruitment websites are used, it does not fully cover industry specific recruitment agencies. This research paper considers Social Media and online recruitment from the perspective of Employers, Recruitment Agencies and Individuals in an attempt to ascertain the relevance to enterprises and individuals.
This research will carefully consider social media in recruitment and how it can be used by enterprises. Several areas such as intellectual property law, good Human Resources practice and how practical these methods are in recruitment are explored further in the Literature review, and discussed throughout the paper. Social Media is a relatively new area of interest and yet something which adapts very quickly and could be instrumental in selecting and retaining the best possible people for the enterprise.
With almost two billion internet users Worldwide in 2010, up from approximately 360 million at the end of 2000, there has been dramatic growth in internet usage over the last decade (www.twitter.com). This type of service is used as a way of instantly letting people know exactly what is happening to an individual at any given time, it can also be an excellent way for enterprises to communicate with their customers who may be reading tweets on the train on their way to work.