Hiring with Social Media – What Are You Waiting for?

[Joywtseo421]

It seems like just yesterday I wrote an article about the evolution of recruiting and how, for all the changes in technology and demographics recruiting hadn’t really changed all that much (at the time), save the need to actively attract talent. It was June 2010. In the years that've followed we’ve seen more evolution, our world has gone social, our roles in recruitment are becoming more sales and marketing focused than ever and our employment brand has become paramount to our ability to attract, engage and hire. 2010 was the beginning of the end for job boards, and though most of the big boards are still around, it’s become rather apparent that they’re not nearly as effective as they once were. For those that haven’t made the leap and are continuing to “post and pray” on job boards, the efficacy of their recruitment function has undoubtedly declined.


Trepidation abounds.
I see many organizations that are struggling to figure out how to realign their recruitment functions and how to embrace social media. They know that they need to enter the arena and have likely posted a few roles on LinkedIn but are stumped when as to how or where to begin in earnest. It can be overwhelming and frankly a little intimidating. In response to the concerns and trepidation, nothing happens, nothing starts and the chasm between where we are and where we need to be grows more vast, the challenge seems all that much more insurmountable. I once had a golf instructor that when asked, “What’s one thing I can do to improve my game?” replied, “Start playing at a younger age”. I trust the metaphor is appropriate?

There seems to be mindset (at least amongst the HR and Business leaders that I speak to) that peru phone number resource recruiting with social media is nothing more than a new job board. Although positions can be posted on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, this is still “post and pray”. If you don’t have an underlying strategy to market and manage your brand, leverage your employee’s referrals, you’re only scratching the surface.


Why dive in?
So let’s scratch a little harder. According to Jobvite’s Social Recruiting Survey, 73% (the number one answer) of those surveyed plan to increase their investment in Social Networks to attract talent. Referrals came in second at 63%. I’m willing to bet that social media will, in many cases, power those referral programs.

How can we leverage social media networks? Apart from posting jobs, how can your organization leverage social media??


Showcase employer brand.
Of the big three (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter), it is both easy and cost effective (often free) to create a page that highlights your organization and your employment brand. Though it’s easy to have a page, it’s more important to keep a regular stream of relevant content. It does take a commitment to build a following but the return manifests itself with candidates (and potentially customers) that are more knowledgeable about and interested in working for your organization. Promoting your posts, especially ones that are created by you or your company, is an inexpensive way to reach a wider audience.