Employer brand attractiveness, brand value experience, and applicants’ intention to apply: The moderating role of social media

Abstract

Research on the factors influencing candidates' application intentions, aimed at helping businesses develop effective strategies for attracting and retaining talent, has become a topic of particular in- terest among researchers and human resource managers. This study examines the relationship between the level of employer brand attractiveness, brand value experience, and application inten- tion, while also assessing the moderating effect of social media. The hypotheses are developed based on the affect infusion model and empirical findings from previous related studies. Data were collected through a survey of 345 final-year students majoring in business and management at several major universities in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on their evaluations of the organizationswhere they had completed internships. These participants were chosen because they represent a segment of future job applicants with direct, recent exposure to employer branding efforts through internship programs. The data analysis, using a structural equation modeling approach with the par- tial least squares method, confirms the reliability of the measurement scales, along with the convergent and discriminant validity of the measured variables. The results also show that the five components of employer brand attractiveness, namely interest value, social value, economic value, development value, and cooperation value, positively influence the employer brand value experience, which in turn has a positive impact on candidates' application intentions. In addition, social media not only directly affects application intention but also plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between brand value experience and application intention. Based on these findings, the study proposes key managerial implications to help businesses attract potential candidates, especially recent graduates, through employer branding strategies, enhancing the quality of students' internship experiences , and optimizing the effectiveness of social media channels.