The use of training in graduate recruitment: Emerging trends and business opportunities

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Kennard, Michael James (2007) The use of training in graduate recruitment: Emerging trends and business opportunities. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The initial aim of the management project was to review the UK training industry, identify and investigate a suitable research topic, and use this work to identify a business opportunity and develop a business plan. Following a literature review the research has focused on investigating how employers utilise training programmes to attract graduate recruits compared with four other factors: financial benefits; corporate identity; quality of life; and the nature of the work itself. The methodology employed was semi-quantitative content analysis on the graduate recruitment websites of 15 FTSE 100 companies across 5 business sectors:-

1. Banking, Finance,Investment: HSBC, Barclays, HBOS

2. Consumer Goods: BAT, Diageo, Unilever

3. Natural Resources: Shell, BP, Anglo American

4. Health: Glaxo Smith Kline, Astra Zeneca, Smith&Nephew

5. Engineering and Industrials: BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, ICI

Twenty five separate subsections divided under the five broad headings were reviewed and rated for each company. The research has concluded that training is the second most significant area detailed in graduate recruitment websites, behind corporate identity, but ahead of both the nature of the work itself and quality of life. Perhaps surprisingly financial benefits were the least significant factor. There were large differences between individual companies, even within the same business sector. This in itself is a highly significant finding, but does mean that detailed analysis between business sectors is limited due to statistical considerations. Best practice and emerging trends have been identified and discussed. All of the companies studied would benefit from improving their graduate recruitment websites, in some cases significantly, by incorporating some of the best practice highlighted in this research. Several areas for further research are suggested.

The research has led to the identification of a market for a specialist niche consultancy focusing on corporate recruitment website benchmarking and consulting, supported by the sale of best practice reports. A business plan has been constructed detailing the business vision, mission, and values, the marketing approach, business strategy, financial analysis, and risk analysis. The business plan demonstrates the potential for high profits and high growth for a modest start-up investment and acceptable risk. Due to the commercially sensitive nature of this work the management project is classified as confidential.

Item Type: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Keywords: Training, Recruitment, Web, Website, Graduate, Internet, Business Plan, Consultancy, Consulting
Depositing User: EP, Services
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2007
Last Modified: 19 Feb 2018 07:09
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/21123

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