The Effect of Using Social Media in the Modern Marketing Communication on the Shaping an External Employer's Image

The aim of this article was to determine the significance of modern marketing communication channels used in the process of shaping the external image of an enterprise as an employer. An analysis of the world literature on marketing, management, marketing communication and human resource management was used to prepare the theoretical part. The results of the analysis indicate a cognitive and research gap regarding the use of modern communication channels for building the external image of an enterprise in the role of an employer. In order to reduce the gap, empirical studies were conducted among young Polish potential employees, in which the survey method was used to gather primary data. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis, during which the following methods and statistical tests were applied: the analysis of average values, exploratory factor analysis, Kruskal-Wallis test (KW), Pearson chi-square independence test and V-Cramer coefficient analysis. The results of the analyses conducted indicate, inter alia, that statistically significant diversity was identified in the case of non-professional media in terms of respondents' opinions on whether the employer's image created by modern media is better than the employer's image created on the basis of classical marketing communication channels. In the case of professional and non-professional media, the age of the respondents was not a differentiating feature. Moreover, neither for professional media nor for non-professional media were statistically significant dependencies identified between respondents' opinions on the impact of actions undertaken by enterprises on shaping their positive external image as an employer and respondents' opinions on whether the employer's image created on the basis of modern marketing communication channels is more beneficial than the employer's image created on the basis of classical marketing communication channels. The results obtained on the basis of the research have a cognitive and applicability value, characterized by originality. Until now, the importance of using modern marketing communication channels in shaping the employer's external image has not been analysed. This also applies to enterprises operating on the energy market.