The objective of this research was to investigate how the decision of Brazilian university students to enroll (or not) in internships' selection processes would be affected by the form and content of the ads published in social media. Thus, a qualitative research was carried out through a multiple-case study. Data were collected in semi-structured interviews via Skype, as well as direct observations of eight individuals. The category Diversions presented the most relevant results shedding light as to how the interviewees' focus was shifted while searching for internship positions during their interviews. The title refers to how distractions make students stray from their intended search for internship positions. Instead, social media exerts a sort of magnetism that is more powerful than recruiting posts and ads, attracting their attention away from internship openings search, making them secondary. In conclusion, diversions were found to become obstacles for undergraduate students when applying for internship positions online.
The study investigated undergraduate students' perceptions of social media's role in online recruitment for internships in Brazil. A qualitative multiple case study was applied using semi-structured interviews and direct observations of eight participants. Two themes emerged from the content analysis: vague internship postings and application barriers. The findings indicate that the information published on social media was insufficient to engage students to apply for the opened positions, and the format of online resumes prevented students from continuing the applications. Recommendations are offered to improve the recruitment processes of undergraduate interns using social media. In conclusion, the internship ads were left untouched by respondents due to the imprecision of their content, despite the ease of access provided by advanced communication technologies.
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