Employer Branding: How Perception of Social Media Use and Prior Work Experience Impacts Employer Attractiveness for Prospective Employees

The current study aims to extend Sivertzen et al. (2013)’s proposed model to garner insights pertaining to employer branding, social-media use, work experience and intention to apply for prospective applicants within the Pakistani context and, creating a more cohesive view of employer branding for academics and practitioners. Questionnaire data was collected from 220 MBA students of varying levels of professional experience from Pakistani universities about their perceptions of potential employers and their intention to apply. Data analysis carried through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that employer attractiveness dimensions such as “Economic Value” and “Development Value” were significantly linked to a company’s “Corporate Reputation” which in turn was linked to “Intention to Apply”; additionally, Social-Media Use was identified as a moderator for the relationship between Corporate Reputation and Intention to Apply. These results highlight the impact perceived functional social and psychological benefits have on the interaction between individuals and organizations and, the influence of social-media during the recruitment process and can. From a managerial standpoint, the results underscore the importance of understanding the needs of the workforce and, of curating an effective corporate reputation for recruitment purposes