Abstract
The research investigated the influence of E-Recruitment methodologies on the application and evaluation processes within the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). The study utilized the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Theory as its conceptual framework to elucidate how technological advancements are embraced and enacted within public organizations. A descriptive survey combined with documentary analysis was employed as the research design. The study's population comprised 1,950 NIS officers and recruitment personnel across the country, from which a sample of 332 respondents was derived using the Taro Yamane formula. The simple random sampling method was applied to guarantee equitable representation among various departments. Data collection involved a structured questionnaire aimed at gathering pertinent information regarding career websites, online assessments, automated shortlisting, as well as application processes and evaluations. Secondary data were sourced from official NIS recruitment documentation, policy materials, and relevant literature. Descriptive statistics, including frequency distributions and simple percentages, were employed to summarize demographic and response data, while inferential statistics, notably Pearson correlation analysis, were utilized to evaluate the research hypotheses. The analysis indicated that the first hypothesis was statistically significant at r = 0.684 with a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.005), demonstrating a robust positive correlation between career websites and online assessments when considering staff ICT proficiency. The second hypothesis was also statistically significant at r = 0.592 with a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.005), highlighting a moderate positive relationship between career websites and automated shortlisting when the same controls were applied. Additionally, the third hypothesis was statistically significant at r = 0.676 with a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.005), indicating a strong positive correlation between career websites and application processes as well as evaluation. The findings across all hypotheses showed that the effective use of e-recruitment systems markedly enhanced the speed, objectivity, and transparency of recruitment activities within NIS. In conclusion, the study affirmed that the integration of e-recruitment practices, particularly through well-structured career websites, was pivotal in improving recruitment results. Recommendations included that the Nigeria Immigration Service should continually enhance its systems to provide user-friendly interfaces, comprehensive search functionalities, and detailed job descriptions to facilitate applicant navigation and application completion. Furthermore, the automated shortlisting system should be consistently optimized to mitigate bias, enhance selection accuracy, and ensure adherence to organizational recruitment standards.
Keywords
E-Recruitment Practices, application processes, career websites, online assessments and automated shortlisting