The business world has moved from recruiting through newspaper advertisements. Recruitment tools and strategies have changed considerably in recent years with the advent of the latest technology and mediums. Similarly, social media today is not only leveraged to promote a brand or products but also for hiring the right talent. Social media recruitment refers to the process of identifying, engaging, and recruiting talent through social media channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other websites, etc.
According to a study, 3/4th of workers between the age group of 18-34 found their latest job through social media, and 90% of recruiters hired successfully through LinkedIn.
When done correctly, social media recruiting holds the potential to gather referrals, reach passive candidates, target desired candidates, and is a very cost-effective method of recruitment. It offers a vast reach without burning a hole into the pocket of organizations. Many social media sites enable HR managers or recruiting agencies to tailor-make messages for each candidate group, thereby helping them reach a huge talent pool simultaneously. Organizations leveraging a wide range of talent acquisition strategies spread across mediums tend to be more successful in hiring the right candidate over organizations employing a single medium to acquire talent.
A few tips and strategies that can you can follow to navigate the world of social media recruitment include:
- Build a solid online reputation
75% of candidates are said to research a company’s online reputation before applying for a job.
Therefore, it is important to build a brand that everyone aspires to work for. If your company has a poor online reputation, all your recruiting efforts may go in vain with no talented employee willing to join your organization. Help people form an emotional bond with your brand and attract them organically through a carefully drafted social media content strategy. Be consistent, keep your messaging in sync with your company values, ethics, and beliefs.
- Engage with your online audience
If candidates respond to your posts or post a comment with a desire to know about new openings or join your organization, then be sure to get back to them. Engaging with your audience builds a positive brand image and generates online traction. Don’t just throw information at them – instead network, and build a strong community of users who could become your future talent pool. Be proactive and go to your audience with an intent to engage instead of waiting for them to come to you.
- Involve your employees
Encouraging your staff to contribute to social media recruitment efforts holds multiple benefits. Involve them in commenting, sharing the posts, and posting content that portrays the company culture positively. It increases the reach of your posts and is a more convincing sell. The power of personal recommendation is unprecedented and can open interesting avenues for the company. It makes for a more compelling reach and shows that your employees believe and champion your causes and embrace the company culture. Incorporate a company social media policy if necessary to avoid damaging your online reputation in the process. Your employees are your brand ambassadors in the online world and you don’t want anything to be destroying your company reputation. Encourage them to share job updates, current openings with their followers and introduce a referral bonus policy if possible.
- Share quality content on your channels
The quality of your social media posts can also directly affect your recruitment efforts. The posts after all are a reflection of your company’s beliefs, thoughts, and culture. Poorly drafted content or bad-quality posts can mar your recruiting strategies. Even if you are sharing curated content, ensure to maintain standards and avoid spam. Provide answers to your reader’s questions, and post content that keeps them engaged.
- There is a variety of content that you can post online:
- Videos
- Infographics
- Images
- Podcasts
- Client testimonials
- Blogs
- Ace LinkedIn recruiting
While 55% of recruiters use Facebook and 47% use Twitter, around 87% of recruiters prefer LinkedIn to source talent.
LinkedIn is a site designed exclusively for professionals to network. Therefore, it is one of the best social media channels to recruit the right talent for your organization. To ace this channel, optimize your LinkedIn profile, reach out and network with your desired talent pool, and also participate in groups of your industry. These active communities on LinkedIn are places where the top talent is involved in trying to position themselves as a champion of their industry or domain. Nurture this talent and engage with them to get them interested in your brand. LinkedIn groups are a cesspool of talent waiting to be navigated by recruiters or hiring agencies.
Recruitment through social media can be a new experience for many organizations. It is an effective but budget-friendly recruiting solution that every modern business must employ to hire the right talent for their organization. Craft and refine your social media recruitment strategy to make it more suitable for your target audience. Engage with your audience and build strong relationships to get long-term success for your social media recruitment efforts.