The challenge of attracting graduates - a strategic process in people resourcing: To explore, identify and understand the issues associated with graduate attraction facing the graduate employers in Ireland, in the current economic situation.

Venkataraman, Radha (2014) The challenge of attracting graduates - a strategic process in people resourcing: To explore, identify and understand the issues associated with graduate attraction facing the graduate employers in Ireland, in the current economic situation. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Purpose – Attracting the best from the ever-expanding pool of talent is an intense and demanding process (Branine 2008). A poor recruitment experience is not only an expensive financial damage (Cennamo and Gardner 2008) but also a barrier to the organization’s performance and future. The aim of this study is to congregate and provide the essential information needed by organizations to attract graduates. The research extends on the past study and identifies the attributes necessary to become an attractive employer in a wide choice of labour market context by examining the outlooks and attitudes of employers towards graduates. It intends to provide an insight into the differences in the organizational attributes of two generations, Gen Y and Gen Z. Gender comparison in the orientations and perceptions of the graduates on the labour market will help to break the conventional views of employers around traditional career management.

Design/methodology – The study undertakes a mixed method approach involving two phases. In phase one, interviews with talent management specialists who directly recruit and supervise graduates from two different organizations, as well as focus group with the existing graduate employees were carried out. A shortlist of organizational attributes and graduate expectations was built into a survey of undergraduates, in phase two.

Findings – The findings indicated that there was a level of mismatch in the perceptions of employers and graduate employees or students. Organizations struggle to attract talent due to sector preferences of graduates. Lack of competency, cultural compatibility and leadership skills, in undergraduates are the biggest challenges to talent managers. Although gender differences in the attractiveness of the attributes of the organizations seem to be diminishing, generational differences exist, which needs in-depth exploration by the employers before designing the attraction strategy.

Implications of the study - It is believed that this research will provide a means of helping organizations and HR specialists to understand and adjust to changing career prospects and work patterns of graduates, especially the technology generation Gen Z, in the contemporary labour market.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Issues of Labour and Work > Classes of Labour > Graduate Employment
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Arts in Human Resource Management
Depositing User:	Claire Wallnutt
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2014 17:21
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2014 17:21
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/1812

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