1. The role of social media in the professional development The individual and institutional perspective
Paulina Barczyszyn
Jacek Nożewski, Róża Smolak, Waldemar Sobera
Wrocław, r.

2. Content The subject of research. Idea and aim of presentation.
Hypothesis and research questions.
Research methods.
Selected results.
Conclusions.

3. The subject of research
students social media HR departments

4. Idea and aim of presentation
The aim is to present the current state of activity of students of Wroclaw public universities in the process of job search and career development through social media.
Assumed research perspective also allows you to specify the use of social media by experts in the field of HR in their daily work.

5. Hypothesis and research questions
Hypothesis: Students of Wroclaw public universities do not use social media for professional development.
the awareness of the possibilities of social media in shaping own image
the role of social media in HR work
the use of the materials on professional development, which are published in social media

6. Research methods
Quantitative method: survey– 33 questions (open and closed-end), divided into 5 categories.
Research sample (300 students of public universities in Wroclaw) estimated on the basis of:
Report of Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS) 2014,
Regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education dated 8 August 2011 in the areas of knowledge, fields of science and art, and scientific and artistic disciplines.
Figure 1: Students by fields of science (%), N300; Source: authors

7. Research methods
2. Qualitative method : in-depth interviews – 20 interviews, including 10 students from the public universities in Wroclaw and 10 specialists in the field of Human Resources. Both groups responded to 12 questions.
3. Desk research – also use the scientific literature and secondary data from reports and studies.
time period: January 22 - the 27 April 2016

8. Frequency of use
Figure 3: Frequency of social media use during the week, N=300; Source: authors
I use both Facebook and all kinds of trade forums dealing with a greater or lesser degree of my interest or mere hobby. [SH2, M]

9. Popular social media
Entertainment and staying in touch with friends were more important than the professional activity.
Table 1: Social networking sites used by students (%), N=300; Source: authors

10. Objectives of use and usefulness
Figure 10: Aims to use social media, 1-5 scale (1- useless, 5-very useful), N=300 ; Source: authors

11. Job search
Figure 13: The validity of specific factors in job search, 1-5 scale (1- not important, 5-very important), N=300 ; Source: authors

12. Finding a job through social media
33% of students found a job through social media
Picture 1: The percentage of students who found a job through social media (%); Source: authors
4% of students publish links and information about their profiles on social networking sites in CV

13. HR and social media
Figure 16: „Do you think that HR professionals use social media to look for workers?” (%), N=300;
Source: authors
Figure 17: „Do you think that HR professionals use social media in order to verify potential employees?” (%), N=300;
Source: authors

14. HR and social media
We have diversified social media which we use: for professionals and managers is communication via GoldenLine and LinkedIn, and when it comes to communication and any action in order to gain other employees, at the moment it is on Facebook. [HR5, K]
(...) a lot depends on the location. For example the Warsaw area - people very actively check and answer the messages, but when I recruit managers in other cities it shows that people have the account, but didn’t use it for long time and I get the answer after a few weeks. [HR5, K]
Many companies conduct so-called screening, which check whether the specialist – the employee graduated from a school as he declared or worked in a particular place. [HR1, K]

15. Impact on professional development
(…) the part of the decisions regarding the choice of the employer or employee is based on information gained through social media, it seems to me that, yes. Especially when it comes to young people, because they mainly use these sites. [ST2, M]
Figure 19: Do you think that social media can have an impact on your professional development? (%), N=300 ; Source: authors

16. Activity in social media
Picture 2: User activity in social media - professional aspect (%), N=300; Source: authors

17. Conclusions The hypothesis was partially confirmed.
Students positively evaluated the usefulness of social media in achieving career goals.
They use social media more frequently for entertainment purposes than professional.
The level of activity and involvement of students in social media is diverse.
Students are aware of using social media by employers.
HR professionals often seek and verify employees through social networking sites.

18. Thank you for attention