Recruitment has long gone beyond traditional job posts on
print and online media. According to Pew Research 65% of adults now use social
networking sites providing rich opportunity for recruiters and hiring managers
to create positive social exposure for available positions as well as connect
to potential candidates. With over 75% of corporate recruiters now leveraging
social media in some capacity, social recruiting has emerged a key source
for finding top talent.
Here are some hot trend factors for strengthening your social media recruitment strategies:
Connect, Don’t Expect.
Put yourself or your company out there and be social where
your core talent pool hangs out on the web. Use social media as a database of
talent or a cost effective and efficient advertising platform or a combination
of both. The most important thing is that recruiters create opportunities to
seek out and reach out and connect to the talent pool to candidates rather than
expect that the best talent will just stumble upon your job-opening
advertising.
Where to Be Social
Some of the frequently used platforms for social media
recruitment are Facebook, Twitter,
Google+, BranchOut, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Facebook is still the biggest social network out there
with usage by 71% of online versus 28% using LinkedIn. That said, LinkedIn continues to dominate the professional
social media sector with over 300 million registered users, including over 39
million students and recent college graduates, providing abundant ground to
find top candidates.
Positive Presence
Social media is a two-way street. While you are on the
lookout for the right talent, job seekers are on the lookout for a great place
to work. Therefore it becomes important that your social networking and
profiles convey the right and accurate message to the job seeker, as it then
becomes the face of your organization and builds your reputation. Your page and
posts on social platforms are equally as important as your website and the same
attention to conveying your voice and presence should be applied.
Plug In to Online Job
Boards
Social media recruitment need not be a standalone solution and
increased visibility and reach can be achieved when used as a plug-in to
several job boards such as Monster,
Indeed, SimplyHired, Naukri, ZipRecruiter as well as most Applicant
Tracking Software (ATS).
Activate Social Referrals
Hands down, the best way recruiters attract top talent is through
referrals. Research data has proven that people hired through a referral stay
longer and are likely to be a better overall fit and performer. Also, referrals
decrease the amount of time recruiters need to spend searching for potential
candidates and cost outlay. That’s why referral recruitment strategies are fast
growing in importance. Motivate your teams and your social networks to share
jobs and refer people as a way of actively finding top qualified talent. There
is also specialized software that you can use - such as Zao - to help engage and manage referrals and social hires.
