Title: Unemployed: training and development, employability and social support

Authors: Maria P. Michailidis; George K. Gantzias; Evie Michailidis

Addresses: School of Business, University of Nicosia, Cyprus ' School of Social Science, Cultural Policy and Management, Hellenic Open University, Greece ' Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, UK

Abstract: This paper discusses findings from an exploratory study concerning the type, frequency of use and the impact of social networking sites on unemployed. The objectives were to assess unemployed participants' under training on the usage of social networking sites, and the degree to which these helped them increase their opportunities for employability and educational enhancement. Qualitative and quantitative research methodologies were used. The results affirmed that the 12-week course, has helped them improve their interpersonal communication skills and contributed to their psychological uplift and social support. Furthermore, over 80% of them use social networking sites from one to four hours per day for both job hunting and networking, and they stated that they were leaving the program more hopeful and optimistic for successful employment opportunities. The paper contributes to the research on social networking and the education of the unemployed in a country where similar research is sporadic.

Keywords: social networking sites; SNS; unemployment; educating the unemployed; adult education; embitterment; workability; training and development; employability; social support; interpersonal communication skills; psychological uplift; job hunting; networking.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2015.074611

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2015 Vol.1 No.3, pp.247 - 258

Received: 11 Apr 2015
Accepted: 09 Jul 2015
Published online: 08 Feb 2016 *

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