The Reasons for the Lack of Interest in the University as an Employer among young Potential Employees and their Changes in 2016–2018

Abstract

The article is theoretical-empirical in character. In the theoretical part on the basis of the results of cognitive-critical analysis of literature on the subject the chosen aspects associated with the role of the university as an employer and with the way universities can efficiently attract young people as potential employees are discussed. Attention was paid also to the necessity to apply complex image-related activities and to visible negligence in this area. The results of this analysis point to the existence of a cognitive and research gap. It is because the previous theoretical deliberations and empirical analyses conducted with regard to such activities refer to companies and not to universities. That’s why the article strives to achieve, among others, such goals as: identification of the reasons for the lack of interest in work at a university among the respondents; defining the changes in the reasons for the lack of interest in work at a university given by the respondents in the 2016–2018 period; hierarchical arrangement of the identified reasons. In the process of carrying out these goals an attempt was made to find answers to three research questions and to test the research hypothesis saying that sex is a feature differentiating the reasons for the lack of interest in work at a university mentioned by the respondents. In the empirical part of the article the results of an analysis of primary data collected by means of the method of questionnaire survey are presented. In course of the analysis the method of average assessment analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used. The results of the analysis show that the significance of the reasons for the respondents’ unwillingness to start work at a university has changed. Also, their hierarchy has changed. Moreover, sex turned out to be the distinguishing feature in case of only one reason, namely, the will to use knowledge and skills gained during studies in a workplace other than a university.