Abstract:
Recruitment practices play a key role in organisational success (Cable & Judge,
1996). Designing an effective recruitment advertisement is critical in establishing the
first link to appropriate potential employees (Backhaus, 2004). A consistent finding is
that people join, succeed and stay with organisations where there is a strong
alignment between the organisational culture and values and the individual’s values
and direction. People ‘seek jobs with employers whose moral values match their own’
(Scott, 2000). It is a key in the perfect match.
Organisational values are particularly important in nonprofit community service
organisations where they not only define the core business but also are the
organisation’s raison d’etre. It is where people chose to work and volunteer their time
and money to see such values enacted (Jeavons, 1992; Hudson, 1999). It makes
sense that the inclusion of organisational values is an important consideration in
advertising social service positions. However, this study of advertisements for
managers in nonprofit social services from the Australian press over the years 2002
to 2006, reveals more than just a design to recruit the best staff. It reveals raw
material for cultural and occupational analyses (Cullen, 2004). It explores who the
ads are targeting and how that first link is framed. The results raise interesting and
timely questions about employment in social services in post-welfare state
environments common in Western countries around the world.
