Social media platforms can be a valuable tool in a recruiter’s toolbelt, if used wisely. Candidates regularly utilize use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, to find their future employers.
In an article by TalentLyft, it was noted that:
- 73% of millennials found their last position through a social media site.
Source: Aberdeen Group - Nearly half of all professionals (49%) are following companies on social media with the intent to stay aware of their jobs.
Source: LinkedIn - 62% of job seekers use social media channels to evaluate employer brand of a company.
Source: CareerArc - Job seekers rank social and professional networks as the most useful job search resource compared to job boards, job ads, employee referrals, recruiting agencies, and recruiting events.
Source: CareerArc
BUT, social recruiting doesn’t simply mean creating a profile and blasting out job orders. Here are some tips on how to effectively use social media in your recruiting efforts:
- Share valuable content, not just job orders. Use social media to share industry-relevant articles and blogs. Subscribe to industry publications and share those with a comment of your own. Candidates want useful information, and you won’t be grabbing their attention/likes/follows by spamming their feed with job adverts.
- Cater to your audience. Think of it like writing job descriptions, where it’s best to take a different approach depending on whether the job is an executive/c-suite role, or a lower-level role. Tailor your postings to your ideal candidate, and that’s who you will attract. For example, posting articles about changing careers won’t attract the senior-level experienced candidate you need. And using a generic template when you reach out to candidates via social media is sure to be ignored. High quality candidates don’t have time to sift through all the generic messages they get… stay out of the ‘trash’ by making it personalized.
- Make it a conversation. It’s not just about posting and getting likes. It’s important to publish things that garner a conversation… and that includes replies from you! If candidates are commenting on your posts but you aren’t replying, you can bet they will come to a halting screech. Build a connection with the candidates, make yourself a real person… not just a ‘brand’.
The more you can engage with your audience via social networks, the easier it will be to build a relationship with top talent. If you become an authority in the industry – frequently posting valuable articles and contributing meaningful comments – it is more likely that candidates will turn to you when they are in the market for their next opportunity.