The Role of Social Networking Websites in Recruitment and Selection of Employees in Multi- National Companies in Ghana.

Abstract

The purpose of this study aimed at investigating the extent to which social networking websites are used in the recruitment and selection of employees by Multi-national companies. Accordingly, using Ghana as a study, this research adopted the qualitative approach and phenomenology research design to unearth the lived experiences of participants on social networking websites use in the recruitment and selection of employees. Participants comprised of twenty (20) senior human resource personnel from twenty (20) Multi-national companies who shared their experiences in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that Multi-national companies used social networking websites to post job advertisements, assess and screen candidates for recruitment, and identify candidates for person-job fit. Results also indicated that the impression formed about candidates from information obtained via social networking websites do influence employment decisions. In addition, findings indicated that social networking websites were used with the well-established methods of recruitment and selection especially during the recruitment process. Hence, social networking websites were considered as more of a recruitment tool than that of a selection tool. Thus, this research recommends that human resource managers should be blend social networking websites use with the traditional modes of recruitment and selection to achieve the desired outcome. Also, human resource managers should be mindful of how information on social networking websites are used in inferring employment decision as information gathered could be inaccurate.