Evaluating the role ofblatin finding graduate employment in post-Soviet Ukraine

Abstract

Purpose– This paper aims to evaluate the use of personal connections to circumvent formal procedures, known asblatin the Soviet era, in post-Soviet societies by studying its role in graduate employment recruitment.Design/methodology/approach– To do this, the extent to which and howblatis used by graduates to find a job in the city of Mykolayiv in Ukraine is analysed through 85 face-to-face structured interviews with those who in the past seven years have sought employment after graduating from university.Findings– The finding is thatblatis widely used by graduates to find a job. However, contrary to the existing literature which suggests thatblathas become commodified in post-Soviet market societies with monetary payment being requested by and given to personal connections “pulling strings”, no evidence is found that this is the case. Instead, this remains a non-monetised form of friendly help by and for close social relations, akin to the Soviet era, and is viewed in a positive or neutral manner by participants even though its consequences can be to circumvent meritocratic formal recruitment procedures and foster nepotism and cronyism.Research limitations/implications– This study ofblatis limited to analysing graduate recruitment in one city in Ukraine. Broader empirical research on the contemporary role ofblatin this and other spheres in post-Soviet societies and beyond is now required so as to develop a more nuanced context-bound understanding of both the positive and negative facets of this social practice in contemporary societies.Originality/value– This study reveals thatblatis commonly used to find graduate jobs and is widely viewed as a socially acceptable practice, despite hindering meritocratic recruitment procedures.