Formal and informal recruitment of college graduates [electronic resource] : implications for economic growth and development in West Virginia /

by Lego, Brian E.

Formal and Informal Recruitment of College Graduates: Implications for Economic Growth and Development in West Virginia by Brian Lego This research analyzes effects of firm demographics and local labor market characteristics on a firm’s selection of college graduate recruitment techniques. A survey of West Virginia businesses expected to employ relatively more college graduates was administered to gauge differences in characteristics of businesses participating in formal college graduate recruitment programs versus those that do not. Descriptive statistics and a multinomial logistic regression model reveal that larger establishments and businesses with a higher percentage of employees with a college degree utilize formal college graduate techniques in the employee search process. As a matter of policy, the availability of college graduates from local higher education institutions is beneficial to firms, graduates, and the local region because it: 1) allows businesses to make more accurate assessments of their location/expansion potential due to a skilled and qualified workforce; 2) provides local employment possibilities for graduates; and 3) expands the local region’s tax base.