This is an academic poster that I will be presenting at the Information Seeking in Context conference 2016, hosted by the University of Zadar, Croatia. It is called "The role of networking and social media during job search: an information behaviour perspective", and is based upon my PhD work to date. I am now entering my final year.

1. 31% of workers in the UK find
employment through a network contact.
This can be explained by the
dissemination of job information
throughout social structures.
Social media tools (SMTs) facilitate
membership of multiple networks,
across geographic boundaries. This
provides users with unprecedented
information gathering capacities. To
understand how 16-24 year olds engage
in networking to find job information,
this study considers the impact of SMTs
on the job search process.
1. What are the key offline networking
behaviours of the Scottish youth labour
force?
2. How do social media tools support
the offline networking behaviours of the
Scottish youth labour force?
3. How can this knowledge be used to
improve careers services, and boost
individual employability levels?
The role of networking and social media during job
search
an information behaviour perspective
Wilson’s model of general information behaviour (below) is
used as a framework to collect both QUAL and QUAN data.
Interviews: 7 jobseekers and 3 careers advisors. Social
network analysis approach (name generator) is used in
jobseeker interviews to understand how information is
attained from network contacts.
Focus groups: 2 groups of 8 jobseekers. Used to develop
knowledge gained in interviews e.g. barriers/enablers to
information seeking via social media.
Questionnaires: Business undergraduates of 5 Scottish
universities, and users of careers guidance services.
Facebook is the most prominent SMT
used amongst 16-24 year olds. However,
whilst its functionality lends itself to
passive information gathering, it is less
likely to be appropriated for an active
job search.
Young people often rely on “strong”
network ties (e.g. family members) to
mobilise on their behalf, accentuating
the role of social capital during job
search. Informational capital, attained
from SMTs, can be particularly beneficial
for entry into niche industries (e.g.
games industry).
1. Analysis of survey data
2. Post-survey focus groups with careers
advisers
3. Writing up of thesis
Context of
information need
Intervening
variables
Information-seeking
behaviour
Information
processing and use
Passive attention
Passive search
Active search
Ongoing search
Psychological
Demographic
Interpersonal
Source
characteristics
Person in context
John Mowbray, 2nd year PhD student (j.mowbray@napier.ac.uk; @jmowb_napier)
Supervisors: Professor Hazel Hall, Professor Robert Raeside, and Dr Pete Robertson
4. framework: Wilson’s model2. the questions 6. next steps
3. method1. the research 5. early findings