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Employable through Social Media: An Intervention Study

Author

Listed:
  • Omar Habets

    (Research Centre for Employability, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, 6131 MT Sittard, The Netherlands)

  • Beatrice Van der Heijden

    (Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Faculty of Management, Open Universiteit, 6419 AT Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Department of Marketing, Innovation and Organisation, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
    Business School, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China)

  • Omar Ramzy

    (Faculty of Business and Economics, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, Cairo Governorate 11785, Egypt)

  • Jol Stoffers

    (Research Centre for Employability, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, 6131 MT Sittard, The Netherlands
    Faculty of Management, Open Universiteit, 6419 AT Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Research Centre for Education and the Labour Market (ROA), Maastricht University, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Pascale Peters

    (Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6500 HK Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Center for Strategy, Organization and Leadership, Nyenrode Business Universiteit, 3621 BG Breukelen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

This longitudinal, quantitative study contributes to the debate on technology-based professional development by examining the extent to which a learning (LinkedIn) intervention in a university setting affects an individual’s social media use for professional development, and the extent to which this relates to self-reported employability. In addition, we investigated how this relationship is moderated by an individual’s motivation to communicate through social media (LinkedIn). Based on social capital theory and the conservation of resources theory, we developed a set of hypotheses that were tested based on longitudinal data collected from university employees (N = 101) in middle- and high-level jobs. First, in line with our expectations, social media use for professional development was significantly higher after the learning intervention than before. Second, partially in line with our expectations, social media use for professional development was positively related with the employability dimension anticipation and optimization. Third, contrary to our expectations, motivation to communicate through social media (LinkedIn) did not have a moderating role in this relationship. We concluded that the learning intervention has the potential to foster social media use for professional development, and in turn, can contribute to individuals’ human capital in terms of their employability. Hence, the intervention that forms the core of this empirical research can be a sustainable and promising human resource management (HRM) practice that fits the human capital agenda.

Suggested Citation

  • Omar Habets & Beatrice Van der Heijden & Omar Ramzy & Jol Stoffers & Pascale Peters, 2021. "Employable through Social Media: An Intervention Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:5093-:d:547677
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Annet H. De Lange & Dorien T. A. M. Kooij & Trude Furunes, 2022. "What about the Factor Time in Sustainable Employability Research? An Overview of Theory-Based Organizational Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-7, August.
    2. Pena, Lucila & Curado, Carla & Oliveira, Mírian, 2022. "The contribution of LinkedIn use to career outcome expectations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 788-796.

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