International Journal of Human Resource Studies

ISSN 2162-3058
2014, Vol. 5, No. 1

E -Recruitment Transforming the Dimensions of Online

Job Seeking: A Case of Pakistan

Shuaib Ahmed
Assistant Professor

Hammad Tahir
Assistant Professor

Syed Waleed Ali Warsi

Assistant Manager Operations
Institute of Business & Technology, Karachi

Doi:10.5296/ijhrs.v5i1.6161 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/ijhrs.v5i1.6161

Abstract
This research study aims to investigate the influence of adoption of e-recruitment method by
job seekers in Karachi, Pakistan. It also analyzes the relationship between e-recruitment and
their adoption behavior. A convenient sample of 250 job seekers from different universities
students of Karachi was taken. After validating the instrument, one sample t-test was
performed to test the relationship of selected variables i.e. cost saving, time saving, extensive
search and unlimited excess with the behavior of job seekers in adopting a e-recruitment
method. Using SPSS 17.0 Statistical evidence at 0.05 level of significance proved that cost
saving, time saving, extensive search and unlimited excess are significantly correlated with a
e-recruitment adoption. The findings are helpful for academicians, organizations and other
institutions to design and market new web pages to attract more and more job seekers.

Keywords- Recruitment, Online, Job Market, Pakistan

1.1.1. Introduction

The traditional method of recruitment has been revolutionized by the emergence of the
Internet. In the past few years, the Internet has dramatically changed the face of HR
recruitment and the ways organizations think about the recruiting function in Pakistan,
especially in private sector. Using the power of Internet to achieve HR goals not only
increases productivity but also saves time and money. E-recruitment is the processes of
recruiting personnel by using internet or other electronic sources. By using E Recruitment
services job seekers get a better chance to increase their prospective job opportunities. These
services gives time flexibility and more chances to attract passive job seekers as well
resulting in better chance to get best match for hiring needs. In the coming years, digital

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recruiting and hiring are expected to continue their explosive growth. Presently, e-
recruitment has been adopted in many organizations in Pakistan from large organizations to
small size companies. Most organizations are already using e- recruitment to post jobs and
accept resumes on the Internet and correspond with the applicants by e-mail. In today’s
dynamic era internet has revolutionized the world and turned it into a global village, job
searching around the world has become very common for those candidates who are expert in
browsing and have access to internet. Now a days job searching on internet has became a
very common tool for job seekers. It allows them to find their desired job and build their
career in any part of the world.

The online recruitment trend was started in the western countries since last decade of the

20th century. In Pakistan, this trend has grown since last seven years. Thousands of
CVs are sent or uploaded daily on company’s websites and online agencies. The internet
seems the perfect venue for jobseekers & head hunters. The efficient searches of the
appropriate Job or a Candidate increase the hits on this unique system. Now there are two
contemporary approaches for job searching. First, traditional searching in which job seekers
search the jobs through print media (newspapers, magazines) they also have used other
channels to get a job such as, recruiters, employee referrals, walk-in
interviews and employment agencies (Breaugh,1992). Second, Internet searching, thousands
of job seekers using internet effectively to get information to prospective employer, many of
them are seeking company website, contact online recruiters available on different job portals,
register themselves on online job boards or online job agencies. Those sites ultimately act as
medium that connect the job seekers with companies.

There are many advantages of using web based job searching; it enhances the efficiency of job
seekers, i t saves candidate’s process cost and time, job seekers can reach employer at
worldwide level, in contrast to any traditional searching method, which would reach a local
or national group (CIPD, 1999). Since 2005, job seekers in Karachi city focusing extensively
on online sources to avail opportunities. The massive job search on internet shows a positive
growth in internet users. Internet access in universities and offices also facilitates people to
search and apply online. Most of the students and professionals are regularly visiting the
corporate website for possible job opening and submitting their documents for future
opportunities.

1.2. Internet in Pakistan

Internet access has been available in Pakistan since the early 1990s. PTCL started offering
access via the nationwide local call network in 1995. Use of internet in Pakistan increases
day by day it became an integral part of the nation, especially young generation. However,
the large portion of populace, using internet, belongs to urban areas. Karachi, Islamabad and
Lahore are the major cities using the massive chunk of internet service, moreover, service
providers generating the large amount of their revenue from these cities.

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Pakistan’s growth rate of internet users is second highest in SAARC countries in accordance
with its population, as it standing at 16.8 percent as compared with 28.3 percent of Maldives.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) publications quoted World Bank statistics by
July 2012, Pakistan internet users showed double digit growth from past five years. The
growth rate stood at 10 percent in 2007, which is now more than 16 percent. The internet
users growth rate in India is standing at 7.5 percent; 12.1 percent in Sri Lanka, 13.6 percent in
Bhutan with respect to their populations, World Bank statistics said.
In Pakistan, the internet users’ growth rate is on the rise through the services of broadband
internet and mobile phone services. According to Internet Service Providers Association of
Pakistan (ISPAK), the estimated internet users have reached 25 million in the country thanks
to broadband and mobile phone operators. The internet users having demand of high speed
services are also increasing particularly through broadband operators exploiting various
technologies such as Wimax, EvDO, FTTH. As per industry estimate, there are more than
five million broadband users in the country through connections of 2 million. The internet
users mainly do connect with one IP or connections and consume internet services through
sharing at home, office and educational institutions.
There are 50 internet services providers in which 10 are broadband companies exploring
untapped market in big cities, making it available for people to use internet with only Rs 100.
Among 25 million internet users, more than 15 million of them avail internet services trough
mobile phones thanks to cellular operators’ packages and awareness drive.
The mobile phone subscribers go online through different internet services including, EDGE,
GPRS and Blackberry Internet Services (BIS). Majority of the mobile phone subscribers
use internet services for browsing, emails, Facebook and Twitter as cellular phone operators
introduced different affordable packages to their subscribers. Moreover low cost handsets
also facilitate a large number of people to connect online 24 hours. The cellular phone
companies have been working aggressively on the promotion of Internet services for last two
years mainly for earning extra revenues besides voice calls and text messages. These
companies introduced different bundle packages of Internet services in their youth brands to
promote Internet services as an essential for young customers for education and entertainment
purposes.
The rising internet utility among the masses have increased the searching for jobs not only for
careers but also living standard of the people, communications and information purpose,
commercial means such as credit and money transactions by branchless and mobile banking.
The growth in internet users pave the way towards growth in different sector particularly the
access of information and entertainment at affordable purpose but it should be controlled by
the watchdog, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

2.1. Literature Review

In the modern era the ways of recruitment has refined drastically and the emergence of e-
recruitment has changed the business landscape forever on an international level and as well
in context to country. Due to constant surge towards innovation in information
technology and grasping ways to provide more efficient ways for

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businesses to grow substantially, the inception of e-recruitment seem to be the most
viable thing for many firms operating in vibrant environment. The swift changes in
technology have changed the system of the society and this change leads towards the smart,
well organized social structure. The impact of technology on business is further reflected by
the continuous rise in amount of literature exploring the effects of new technology
development and implementation on the efficiency of business, including the impacts on
human resource practices (Dessler, 2002). Bush et al (2002) demonstrated that the adaptation
of the web as a medium by organizations has been faster than any other medium in history.
Organizations periodically recruit in order to add, to maintain, or readjust their work forces
in accordance with HR requirements (Cascio, 1998). Recruitment is an important part of
human resource process. It is a two way process which involved employers (Organizations)
and applicants (Job seekers). Cascio (1998) identified organization searching for prospective
employees as a prospecting theory of recruitment. In practice, however, prospective
employees seek out organizations as well. This view, termed as a mating theory of
recruitment, appears more realistic. The assessment of attraction from both parties continues
from the initial recruitment process through to the final appointment outcome (Breaugh,
1992). The traditional recruitment process are readily acknowledge as being time consuming
with long hiring cycle times, high cost per process and minimal geographic reach (Lee,
2005). On the other hand, indeed, the internet has changed the recruitment, the first and
important stage of human resource management process, from an organizational and a job
seekers point of view (Warner, 2005).
There are numerous articles which review the perceived advantages and disadvantages of
Internet job searching as a source when compare to the more traditional sources including
newspapers, employment agencies, referrals and walk-in.
In developed countries, among jobseekers, it is reported that an estimated one in four utilize
the internet to source job opportunities (Smith et al., 2004), moreover, 75% of HR
professionals utilize internet recruitment methods i.e. online job boards. Unfortunately, the
data of Pakistani jobseekers, who applied online, is not available. The increasing use of the
Internet as a job searching tool has arise via a number of means as identified by the
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD, 1999). The three most common

 The Career page of the organization’s website.

means of job searching via the web are:

 The specialized recruitment websites, which act as a medium between organizations and

 The media sites which involves placing an advertisement in a more traditional media such
potential applicants, such as online job boards, job portals, job agencies and online recruiters.

a s a newspaper which also has its own website and post the same advertisement
simultaneously on the website, usually for free.
Online job searching and recruiting also extends to more interactive recruitment tools,
creating an avenue to build relationships between job seekers and organizations (Mooney,
2002). E-job searching and e-recruitment tools are acknowledged as being an important
aspect of internet job searching and recruiting for jobseekers and organizations, their impact
occurs after the initial recruitment stage and during the selection stage.
It has been found through many empirical studies that e-recruitment shall not completely

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overpower the traditional way of recruitment but shall help in finding the most appropriate
candidate required for the given job.
Some of the scholars have researched that in order to develop a connection between employee
satisfaction and size of firm, the type of e-recruitment policies, the use and integration of e-
recruitment play a critical role in overall process of e-recruitment. In order to gauge the
effectiveness of the variables individual factors such as demographics, level of job
satisfaction, job commitment and organizational commitment are the things
which create a distinction between traditional recruitment methods and e-recruitment.
E-recruitment enhances job seekers convenience in extraction of right type of information in
a short time and applying organizations website quickly.
Through empirical studies, it has been concluded that the cost saving is
one of dominant positives of e-recruitment as average print ads cost more than job ads on
the internet web portals. The process of e-recruitment mainly such as the ease
of placing ads on internet, filling application forms of various firms and also
attaching resume to mails. E-recruitment also helps in attracting a diverse range of job
seekers and also enhances the firm reputation in getting better applicants. Due to large
amount of applications result in better screening of job applicants.
For job-seekers the access towards various company websites, recruitment firms and
recruitment portals has opened unlimited avenue and result in searching for more and better
opportunities to work and earn a better living. Galanaki (2002) conducted a comprehensive
review of the literature on the use of the Internet by employers. Lower cost, shorter
recruitment cycle; reach to a wider range of applicants, better quality of applicants,
opportunity to address specific market niches, and attraction. The results addressed those
applicants which entailed more information and very appealing to the customer in terms of
pace and design. The world renowned companies use the portals effectively by depicting
thorough information and also demanding more detail information of the applicants which
result in reaching for a best candidate. The e-recruitment also results in finding better
results since quick information in terms of feedback and follow-up by candidates who apply
for a particular job.
Haddas (2004) develops a framework in which Internet recruitment lowered the cost in terms
of screening better applicants. The researcher described that such e-recruitment decreases the
proportion of well competent candidates. He found that applicant hired through internet
stay for short period than those hired through employee referral system. The use of internet
which provides accessibility to various people results in getting adequate feedback has
become most vital source of extracting appropriate candidates for a specified job. However it
does seem to undo a lot of positives such as generating many incompetent and undesirable
candidates due to easy access. The use of internet has completely revolutionized the way
organizations recruit these days and in terms of job seekers perspective. The previous
traditional hiring methods produced high costs and high recruitment processes and cycles.
The global coverage internet provides gets true recognition in terms of recruiter’s through
written communication by email, blogs and job portals. This era is particularly thriving by
daily bases innovation as to how companies shall outwit and be ahead of their in terms of
producing and making new products. The innovation has been on high side in terms of

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recruitment industry since many issues have been discussed at various forums. On s uch
forums the recruiters basically discuss their e- recruitment experiences in order to further
utilize various ongoing digital developments and incorporate in their fields. Employer
Branding was one such issue and method that puts emphasis on organization as its main focus
in terms of recruitment and where employers seek to find the most competent prospective
employees for the given organization.
Social media is becoming a very potent tool since the numbers of the users are on the rise
substantially. Through such social website it has become easier for recruiters as they
search for candidate with utmost frequency and go through extensive
research. Candidates can also be found and approached more quickly through Twitter or
Facebook. The Recruitment industry looks for further improvements and improvises in
making methods of e- recruitment more relevant in respect to costs and time consumption.
The time is now to innovate and change and be got getter in terms of trying new things.
Putting use of new mediums such as social networking sites can result in producing more
suitable candidate experience. This way the recruiters can stay one step ahead of their rivals
and therefore gaining benefits through effective utilization.

In a comprehensive review done by researchers such as Lang et al (2001) some key

determinants were recognized by companies to use e-recruitment and
implement on it thoroughly. From such findings such key indicators were (1) cost saving (2)
less time consumption (3) greater volume of candidates, (4) greater accessibility in terms of
time and place (5) recruiting qualified candidates at ease (6) increased employer branding (7)
effective personnel selection (8) Providing organizational information (9) greater usage (10)
targeted recruitment (11) constant update of job and applicant data (12) low cost in hiring
suitable candidates (14) corporate policy. E-recruitment is on the rise with the existing trend
of ongoing digital developments which has result in digital newspaper these days but all the
factors cannot be realized as it was supposed to be like target orientation which offsets by
poor segmentation, or reduction in time or cost for recruiting which could be offsets
somehow due to high number of applicants that need to be evaluated.

2.2. Hypotheses

In the light of the literature review and research objective of this study, the following
hypotheses were developed:

H1: Cost saving is the predictor for online job seekers

H2: Time saving the predictor for online job seekers
H3: Extensive search is the predictor for online job seekers
H4: Unlimited access is the predictor for online job seekers

3.1. Research Methodology

An instrument was developed to test the content and validity for this research. A survey was

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conducted to investigate the key influencing factors towards E-recruitment adoption among
job seekers in Pakistan. It further analyzes the relationship between E-recruitment and their
adoption. To achieve the objective of this study a sample of 250 respondents was selected.
The sample comprised of students from government and private sector universities in Karachi.
Out of 250 respondents 134 were male(s) and 116 were female(s) which shows 53.6% and
46.4% respectively. Completed questionnaires were collected from the respondents’ and data
was entered in computer software. Finally the SPSS 17.0 was used for the estimation and
analysis of the results.

3.2. Findings & Interpretation of Results

The four hypotheses were constructed in the light of the literature review. To test each
hypothesis one simple t test technique was applied. Table 1 i.e. the descriptive table displays
the sample size, mean, standard deviation, and standard error for each of the five variables.
The sample means disperse around the 4 standard (agreed level). Table shows that there is no
significant difference in all independent variable means i.e. Cost saving, time saving,
extensive search, unlimited excess Thus, the mean of extensive search and unlimited excess
are slightly higher than the rest of three variables.

Table 1: One-Sample Statistics

Std. Std. Error

N Mean Deviation Mean
costsavin
g 250 4.118 0.6112 0.03866
timesavin
g 250 4.1656 0.62448 0.0395
extensive
search 250 4.2187 0.60358 0.03817
unlimted
excess 250 4.2 0.54423 0.03442

To test hypothesis that cost saving is the predictor/motivator for online jobseekers one sample
t test was applied and the results are present in table 2. The sig value is .003 which is less
than .05 are significant showing that cost saving factor is a motivational factor and it
motivates job seekers to apply via internet other than traditional method so the hypothesis
that cost saving is the predictor/motivator for online job seekers is accepted.
To test hypothesis that time saving is the predictor/motivator for online job seekers one
sample t test was applied and the results are present in table 2. The sig value is .000 which is
less than .05 are significant meaning that there is huge influence of time saving factor for
online job seekers. It is a fact and discussed earlier in literature review that online job seekers
apply quickly for many organizations job portal and they needs response on spot. So the
hypothesis that time saving is the predictor/motivator for online job seekers is accepted.
To test hypothesis that extensive search is the predictor for online job seekers one sample t

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test was applied and the results are present in table 2. The sig value is .000 which is less
than .05 are significant meaning that extensive search is the motivational factor for online job
seekers so the hypothesis that extensive search is the predictor/motivator for online job
seekers is accepted.
To test hypothesis that unlimited excess is the predictor for online job seekers one sample t
test was applied and the results are present in table 2. The sig value is .000 which is less
than .05 are significant meaning that unlimited excess to different organizations web portal is
a motivational factor for online job seekers so the hypothesis that unlimited excess is the
predictor/motivational factor for online job seekers is accepted.
Table 2: One-Sample Test
Test Value = 4
95% Confidence
Interval of the
Difference

Sig. (2- Mean

t df tailed) Difference Lower Upper

costsaving 3.053 249 0.003 0.118 0.0419 0.1941

timesaving 4.193 249 0 0.1656 0.0878 0.2434

extensivesearch 5.728 249 0 0.21867 0.1435 0.2939

unlimtedexcess 5.811 249 0 0.2 0.1322 0.2678

4. Discussion and Conclusion

The study reveals that that e-recruitment is popular with applicants and that
its popularity is increasing as the internet continues to become an accepted and
convenient medium for a whole range of transactions. The above results show as previously
discussed literature review did entail these motivators to be key in rise of e-recruitment in
lieu of traditional methods.
The study findings conclude all the motivators of online job seeking to have positive and
significant relationship with E-recruitment. Since the results also state cost saving as good
motivator for online job seekers which says this form of recruitment is for sure the new
dominant force to come in foreseeable future.
E-recruitment in its rise has created a major revolution in terms individuals being aware of
more opportunities through minimal cost, less time, extensive search in terms of finding most
appropriate and diverse kinds of jobs and unlimited accessibility has broken all the landscape
barriers that once exist and opportunities were lying in wait for few prospective candidates.
The above results elucidate that cost saving, time saving, extensive search and unlimited
excess to are predictors/motivators for prospective job seekers to use e-recruitment in lieu of
traditional methods used by applicants. All the motivators seemed to have positive
relationship in the adoption of E-recruitment for in terms of online Job Seeking. The study

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illustrates what are necessary areas individuals in form of job seekers look out for when
using e-recruitment. Many organizations must be diligent in terms of how to better make
their websites in order to better cater their needs. Also university needs to build their
websites in order to maximize job seeker participation in order to cater more people in the
dynamics of e- recruitment.

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