Exploring interpersonal communication between employers and job seekers : Sosial netwoking sites as alternative communication method

Statistics prove that the graduate unemployment rate in Malaysia has risen every year due to the increasing number of graduates in the employment market. However, the recruitment industry has undergone rapid changes resulting the use of new tools and technology for instance the use of technology-based mediums like social networking sites (SNSs) where it has prompt phenomenal impact in recruitment and job searching. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the use of SNSs as the alternative communication method between employers and job seekers in recruitment. It aims to understand the conceptualisation of SNSs between employers and job seekers, the communication activities that occur, the antecedents of choosing job advertisements from the job seekers’ perspective, and the consequences of using SNS platforms. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 informants from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, who were selected via purposive sampling technique. The data was evaluated and combined in a thematic data analysis using the NVivo 12 software. The results indicate that employers can reach a large number of talented individuals with the help of SNSs. The present study built upon the Users and Gratification Theory to contribute further understanding of why people use certain types of media, what needs they have to use them, and what gratifications they get from using them