How does Social Network Influence Job Search on Career-oriented Social Platforms? A Study Based on the Multi-agent Simulation Method

How does Social Network Influence Job Search on Career-oriented Social Platforms? A Study Based on the Multi-agent Simulation Method | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article How does Social Network Influence Job Search on Career-oriented Social Platforms? A Study Based on the Multi-agent Simulation Method Ruoxin Zhou, Tiaoyu LI, Chaocheng HE, Renxian Zuo, Jiang Wu This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6278674/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract [Purpose]: This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms and dynamic evolutionary processes of career-oriented social platforms, particularly focusing on how specific social network concepts like "closure" and "connection" affect job seekers’ social capital and job search efficiency. [Design/methodology/approach]: The research employs a multi-agent simulation system to analyze the effects of triadic closure, focal closure, membership closure, and third-degree of influence (THDI) within social networks. LinkedIn data is utilized to simulate and investigate these mechanisms. [Findings]: The simulation results indicate that triadic closure, focal closure, and THDI positively influence the social capital of job seekers. This increase in social capital is driven by activities like establishing new interpersonal connections, which in turn enhances network evolution efficiency. Additionally, membership closure impacts job seekers’ willingness to apply for positions, improving job search efficiency. The THDI mechanism plays a key role in facilitating network evolution, while the alumni function, influenced by focal closure, improves talent-market. [Originality/value]: This study uncovers the dynamic evolutionary rules in social networks and validates the pivotal role of career-oriented social platforms in enhancing employment efficiency. The findings provide actionable insights for optimizing platform operations, ultimately facilitating more efficient job searching and recruiting activities. Career-oriented social platform Social network Closure theory Social capital theory Multi-agent simulation Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files supplementarymaterialsfornetworkinitialization.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6278674","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":441310600,"identity":"f3394d32-cd1a-4991-bb3c-4eb81b3f7367","order_by":0,"name":"Ruoxin Zhou","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of International Business and Economics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ruoxin","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhou","suffix":""},{"id":441310601,"identity":"0c415bfe-8981-4fc7-95b5-848a316c6574","order_by":1,"name":"Tiaoyu LI","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Lenovo (China)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tiaoyu","middleName":"","lastName":"LI","suffix":""},{"id":441310602,"identity":"d35831f6-37bf-4c99-a937-b692b64aaf6a","order_by":2,"name":"Chaocheng HE","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACCSBmbGBIYGBvYGOAsInWwnOAZC0SCURq4Z/d/PDBzx02efySb8we8zDYyG44wPzsAV5L7hwzNuw9k1YsOTvH3JiHIc14wwE2cwN8WgwkEsykGdsOJ264nbtNmocByDjAwyaBX0v6N6CW/4n7b54FaflPjJYckC0HEjdI8IK0HCCsReJGTrFhb1ty4owz+d8k5xgkG888zGaGVwv/jPSND3622SX2tx9Lk3hTYSfbd7z5GV4t6O4EYmYS1I+CUTAKRsEowA4AU85ImglEpw8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Chaocheng","middleName":"","lastName":"HE","suffix":""},{"id":441310603,"identity":"669b52c7-75ce-49d8-81cf-a2e9432dad2d","order_by":3,"name":"Renxian Zuo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Renxian","middleName":"","lastName":"Zuo","suffix":""},{"id":441310604,"identity":"e3e6713e-2b94-4c8a-ace2-d03b6a4c31cf","order_by":4,"name":"Jiang Wu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Wuhan University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jiang","middleName":"","lastName":"Wu","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-03-21 14:53:53","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6278674/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6278674/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":90131349,"identity":"382c4254-6d71-4288-8a42-ed6d76c33171","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-28 22:01:33","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1113075,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptHowdoesSocialNetworkInfluenceJobSearchonCSPsV3.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6278674/v1_covered_6e184ddd-9113-4e8d-a751-715a4387b5c4.pdf"},{"id":80598052,"identity":"be6c80dc-8f22-41fb-9a31-f000315c18d0","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-15 04:30:27","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":67722,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"supplementarymaterialsfornetworkinitialization.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6278674/v1/36fa65d1ec347d368528d436.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"How does Social Network Influence Job Search on Career-oriented Social Platforms? 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LinkedIn data is utilized to simulate and investigate these mechanisms.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[Findings]:\u003c/strong\u003e The simulation results indicate that triadic closure, focal closure, and THDI positively influence the social capital of job seekers. This increase in social capital is driven by activities like establishing new interpersonal connections, which in turn enhances network evolution efficiency. Additionally, membership closure impacts job seekers’ willingness to apply for positions, improving job search efficiency. The THDI mechanism plays a key role in facilitating network evolution, while the alumni function, influenced by focal closure, improves talent-market.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e[Originality/value]:\u003c/strong\u003e This study uncovers the dynamic evolutionary rules in social networks and validates the pivotal role of career-oriented social platforms in enhancing employment efficiency. 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