E2c: Maximising Electronic Resources for Cruise Recruitment

Abstract

Many successful organisations consider Internet recruitment to be an important element of their recruitment strategy, in order to promote, attract, manage and inform applicants in what is seen to be a cost and time effective manner (Anderson, 2003; Bartram, 2000; Parry & Tyson, 2008). This article contributes to the understanding of this subject by considering the content and characteristics of online recruitment resources within the cruise industry with reference to the resultant attitudes and behaviours of prospective employees. This study sought to critically analyse the effectiveness of online resources to attract and inform future employees within the hotel sector of the cruise industry and make recommendations to employers in relation to developing practice. A research plan was formulated that aimed to take a multimethod approach to revealing practice and potential client perceptions. This approach included conducting a comparative analysis of cruise websites using a modified version of a conceptual e-recruiting model, as defined by Young and Foot (2005). In addition, a cruise industry recruitment specialist was interviewed to capture key contextual and strategic data. Thereafter, data from a focus group involving final year Cruise Management students from the University of Plymouth, were collected to highlight perceptions of online recruitment resources from the potential employees' perspective. The investigation reveals that many elements such as content usefulness, web site attractiveness and usability have a major influence on prospective employees' perceptions and opinions of a company or cruise brand and that cruise brands have yet to harness the full capability of the medium to best effect.