Abstract:

Using agile learning methodology, we analyse an undergraduate experience about the topic of employer branding. At the intersection of internal marketing and human resource management, employer branding can be defined as an approach to recruitment and retention that involves internally and externally communicating a strong view of what makes an organization different and desirable as an employer. This multidisciplinary topic is relevant for organizations as an effective organizational strategy to differentiate from competitors and gain a competitive advantage in the labour market. Undergraduate students from business, tourism, marketing, business intelligence & analytics, human resources are, among others, the target of this agile learning methodology.

Considering previous agile-based learning experiences, we have analysed the potential of the agile method for improving collaborative learning about the topic of internal marketing by using social media (i.e., Instagram) as a tool for employer branding. Employer Branding is one of the tools used by companies to attract talent. Using agile learning methodology, undergraduate students carry out the following activity:
(i) make groups of 10-12 people;
(ii) each group creates an Instagram account dedicated to Employer Branding of a fictitious company and must publish at least 30 posts;
(iii) the newly created account is added to the mentoring alumni and teacher in order to analyse the evolution in one month;
(iv) presentation of employer branding strategy;
(v) peer-to-peer evaluation among groups,
(vi) evaluation among the mentoring alumni and teacher, and
(vii) feedback. Based on our two-year experience using this learning methodology, we offer insights to enhance learning and the undergraduate experience.

To implement the agile methodology, one of the key points is not giving students many steps to follow, just some basic guidelines and the result requirements, so they can decide by their own how would the result look like. Another important point is setting a timeline, telling students from the beginning what we expect from them, to be already done for each date before the presentation of the result. This is how we made sure if they were making wise decisions in terms of time management and team organization, trying to avoid final sprints or lastminute gamechanger decisions that will lead the group to stress and chaos.

To evaluate this learning activity, we asked students what they liked best about the Instagram sessions and what they have learnt. Our findings show that when we use agile methodologies, higher engagement of the students with the proposed activities arouse. Agility creates a work framework that aims students to be creative, to collaborate and to look for solutions by their own, using all the tools they have been learning so far. Overall, students gave an average mark of nine out ten to the activity, remarking in the comments that “it really felt like working in a real company” which must always be the purpose of any activity evaluated at the university, because the more realistic the activities will be, the more ready they will be to develop their career and shine once they will get graduated.

Keywords:

Agile methodology, collaborative learning, social media, internal marketing, employer branding, undergraduate experience.