Thaindian News

London, May 24 (IANS) Advertisements for jobs still seek traits like “able to cooperate, driven and independent,” characteristics virtually unchanged since the 1950s, according to a thesis.

Karin Helgesson from University of Gothenburg in Sweden, who authored the doctoral thesis, studied the development of unclassified recruitment ads from 1955 to 2005.

A recruitment ad comprises a functional text written to announce a vacant job. However, it also gives employers an opportunity to promote their organisations and what they do.

“Recruitment advertisements can also be used to study the evolution of the language it is written in and how the values in the labour market change over time,” says Helgesson.

Helgesson found that the most frequently requested characteristics throughout most of the 50-year period were ability to cooperate, personal drive and ability to work independently, according to a Gothenburg statement.

“There may be many reasons for this. It may be that these characteristics are needed in many different lines of work and that the so-called consensus culture is strong in the Sweden.

“Once consensus has been reached, a Swedish employee is expected to be able to work independently,” adds Helgesson.

Since the turn of the century, personal drive has replaced ability to cooperate as the number one requested characteristic.

This implies an employee who is able to ensure progress, take initiatives, achieve results and lead others to a higher degree than in the past.

Throughout the period, the employer is portrayed as large and successful. Words such as “large”, “leading” and “expansive” are commonly used, but illustrations of well-known products, office buildings and industrial plants are also used to convey the message.

There have been recent changes in this respect as well.

“Ads from the last 10 years or so tend to focus more on the employee and the stimulating work tasks and opportunities for personal development that the employer is able to offer.”

Helgesson also studied changes in the language used in such ads. In the 1980s and 1990s it was common to present requirements through expressions such as “we believe that you are at least 30 years old and have sales experience”.

Today, requirements are presented much more directly, as in “you are able to cooperate and are outbound and driven”.

“Recruitment advertisements reflect the development in society at large. The employers who used to offer workers the security of belonging to large and successful organisations have become partners who are offering their co-workers personal development and stimulating work tasks,” concludes Helgesson.