The Impact of Online Recommendations on the Evaluation Process. Identification of Changes in the Recruiter's Perception of Applicants (PDF)

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2016 in the subject Leadership and Human Resource Management - Recruiting, grade: 1,0, Kozminski University, language: English, abstract: Human Resources practices are undergoing major changes driven by technology innovations, especially with regards to the evaluation process. Social networking sites and the vast amount of freely available information about individuals allow for extensive conclusion drawing before even meeting a candidate. Although 97% of recruiters said they have used LinkedIn as a selection and recruiting tool back in 2012 already, there has been little empirical research conducted on how social networks influence the process. The paper on hand focuses on the role of the well-known business network 'LinkedIn', the accuracy of information provided online and more precisely on the credibility of recom-mendations submitted online. The overarching goal is to identify changes in recruiter's perception of a candidate with regards to quantity, quality and source of online recommendations.
By taking into account various studies and selected literature regarding the influence of recommendations on the selection process, the author gained extensive understanding of previously identified factors and their respective impact. In addition, a primary study in form of an online survey has been conducted among recruiters to receive insights into the evaluation process in today's recruiting divisions.
Outcomes reveal that attributing value to online recommendation in inevitable in nowadays selection practices. Moreover, the recommendation donor has a profound impact on the credibility: family and friends are not deemed credible whereas work-related parties such as co-workers and immediate management are favored and their assessment is validated. Lastly, the quantity of recommendations does not hold significant value with regards to assessing credibility.