The new generation of applicants

Technological advances in recent years and the development of social networks have significantly changed the dynamics of the job market. The use of social networks in recruiting and job searches is steadily increasing. Due to the predicted shortage of young and qualified applicants in the coming years, companies are interested in finding out how young talents use social networks when looking for jobs so that they can target them appropriately. The aim of this thesis is to highlight the use of social networks in job searches by university graduates and to identify specific search strategies. The first part describes the historical development of recruitment, the influence of social networks on modern recruitment and their use in recruitment and job searches as described in the literature. The second part deals with the empirical study. To answer the research questions, a qualitative research design in the form of eight problem-centred interviews was chosen. Finally, in the third part, the results from the literature and empirical studies are compared.

Autorentext
Patricia Farmer was born in Vienna in 1989, where she also completed her schooling. She has been living in the United States since 2016. After completing her bachelor's degree in international business administration at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, she completed a master's degree in human resources and organisational development at the University of Applied Sciences Vienna in 2016, during which she wrote this thesis.