Predicting Intentions to Apply for Jobs Using Social Networking Sites: An Exploratory Study

In this research, we developed and tested a preliminary theoretical model that explicates jobseekers' behavioral intentions to apply for jobs using social networking sites (SNSs). The factors hypothesized as having an influence on jobseekers' intentions to apply for jobs using SNSs include privacy concerns; trusting beliefs or perceived justice in the candidate selection process; risk beliefs; performance expectancy and the provision of information about a feature that illustrates social network connections between jobseekers and potential employers. This model was initially tested using data gathered through an online survey of active and passive jobseekers. The research contributions include the validation of a model to explain jobseekers' intended behavior in the context of SNSs and of the scales developed in testing that model.