Employer Branding for SMEs: Attracting Graduating Students in IT Industry

Abstract

Employer Branding has been an emerging topic in HRM for no longer than two decades. The concept of Employer Branding is usually stuck to large companies or MNCs. In addition, in-depth researches on wheth-er Employer Branding could also work for SMEs are very limited. Thus, focusing on the perspectives of graduating students, the prospective employees of SMEs, this research takes place to study the role of Em-ployer Branding in SMEs, especially IT SMEs in Finland.

In laying the theory background for the research, the theoretical framework demonstrated the relationship between the concepts of Marketing and HRM and how they are connected within Employer Branding. The understanding of Employer Branding theory provides the scheme for the whole research. Based on the theo-retical part, research questions are then built and research is conducted in order to achieve the eventual objec-tive: exploring the role of Employer Branding of IT SMEs in Finland.

The research method of quantitative is utilised in this research. The analysis of empirical findings collected from the close-ended questionnaire provides thorough understanding of the students’ perception towards Employer Branding, the impact of Employer Branding on their decisions to work for a SME, the sources of Employer Branding they perceive and their career orientation.