EFFECT OF E-RECRUITMENT ON BEHAVIOURAL INTENTION OF CANDIDATES: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM MANAGEMENT UNDERGRADUATES IN SRI LANKA

With the advent of Internet Technology, the way of executing Human Resource Management function has been dramatically changed over the past. Shifting from traditional way of (labour intensive) delivering human resource management function towards more efficient, cost effective means (technology intensive) has now become the key consideration of the human resource management literature. Many firms now use electronic recruitment (e-recruitment) rather than conventional method of employee recruitment. Moreover, potential job candidates are more interested in searching and applying for job openings through internet. For the purpose of generating appropriate applicant pool, firms tend to develop attractive, content rich, easy to use and user-friendly recruitment through their own website or via job portals. However, the effect of the e-recruitment on candidates’ intention to apply for the job is under studied in the Sri Lankan context. Thus, the objective of this paper is to explore the impact of e-recruitment on candidates’ intention to apply for the job openings. Since management undergraduates are intensively used internet to search for job openings, 150 management undergraduates those who study in final year are surveyed through self-administered questionnaire. Multiple regression reveals that ease of use and perceived usefulness significantly influences on candidates’ behavioural intention. Further, a significance differences found between male and female candidates in terms of intention to apply, continuous access to the web site and finally behavioural intention. The findings of the study would be important to the firms to effectively carry out e-recruitment to optimize the appropriate pool of applicants and to design an attractive job portal.