If you are a recruiter or works in the staffing industry, I’m sure you know that passive candidates are usually the best candidates. But passive recruiting is often easier said than done. You’ll have[...]
If you are a recruiter or works in the staffing industry, I’m sure you know that passive candidates are usually the best candidates. But passive recruiting is often easier said than done. You’ll have[...]
November 13, 2018
Read MoreIn recruiting, how you communicate is just as important as what you say. Social media acts like a digital welcome mat, or even an open door - after reaching out the first time, social media allows candidates to walk in and meet you. If you aren’t already using social media in recruiting, what have you been doing the last few years?
Social media has become increasingly important to recruiting efforts: 73% of recruiters successfully hire candidates through social media, and 80% of job seekers use social media to search for a job. And it’s not just professional networks like LinkedIn and Glassdoor that you need to keep track of, but recreational sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. Social recruiting is also the most used tactic for recruiting passive candidates, so get on that bandwagon if you haven’t already. Just make sure you keep these tips in mind.
Don’t forget, it’s not just about putting stuff out there, but about posting strategically. Think about your audience. If you’re on Twitter or Instagram, you need to think about the proper hashtags. Use your own hashtag for your posts about that subject, but don’t forget the generic ones like location, industry, and new job openings in general. However, you need to be mindful that you’re not going overboard with hashtags, as that can come across as spammy and may drop your engagement rates.
Of course, you don’t need to have an account on all social media platforms, but using the most popular ones - or the ones you know you’ll actually use - will work the best. Consider your target audience for your social recruiting efforts (creating talent personas might help with this). The younger generation is more about Instagram and Snapchat, while the older generation still uses Facebook and LinkedIn. Who you want to communicate with will decide where you show off your social media presence. Finding the platforms that candidates use the most increases the chances that you’ll get a response from them.
Don’t just share your recruiting expertise on social media, either. It’s a great place to show that world that you’re a dynamic person with interests outside of work. It can help you open a dialogue by posting about things that aren’t always job openings. You never know; you might find something in common with that candidate you’ve been eyeing! Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t include new job opportunities when they come up, but that shouldn’t be your only topic. And don’t forget that here, less is more. Most social media users have short attention spans, so try to keep your posts short and sweet (although Twitter already does that for you).
If you do decide to make accounts across all social media, you need to keep them up to date. Are your accounts starting to become overwhelming? Taking up too much of your time? You have two options here. You can delete a couple of your accounts, so you can actively manage the remaining ones. Or you can subscribe to a social media management tool. There are plenty of options out there, including Hootsuite, Buffer, and IFTTT. These tools can make it easier to post to all at once, or only if certain conditions are met. They can also help you post at the optimal time for when your preferred candidates are most active and most likely to see your post.
Clearly, social media in recruiting is an important tool, but it also isn’t the be all and end all of your efforts. Don’t forget to stick to the traditional email or phone call for specific job opportunities: it has more of a personal touch, which will help build those relationships you want. So, go ahead and create those accounts, but don’t spend all of your time on them. Embrace all of your options - the more tools you have, the better your chance of building opportunities.