Recruiting, Reinvented: Social Media Recruiting

Before the days of the internet and social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, traditional recruiting consisted of newspaper ads, mailed and faxed resumes, and telephones. The 2013 recruiting landscape now offers both employers and job seekers a wealth of different methods to communicate. There are many questions to ask when considering adding social media to your recruitment toolbox.

Here are some key points to address that will help your social media recruitment strategies:

Beware of the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

While social media may come across as a brilliant new tool, beware of getting bitten by negative feedback from your network. Because technology has shifted power away from organizations to the candidates, you must be able to live up to the expectations of what is broadcast online. Sites like glassdoor.com and honestly.com are popular for applicants to review companies’ cultures and share viewpoints with other potential applicants. To limit negative criticism, be accountable for your statements online and in “real” life and you shouldn’t have a problem with accumulating negative comments.

Don’t Leave Them Hanging

Once you are up and running, ask yourself if you have the resources to follow through in a timely manner. The speed of communication has rapidly increased, and nothing kills a referral like a delayed response. Aim to answer queries or messages within 24-72 hours to show there truly are people behind your website who want to converse.

Engagement is Key

Try to use social media as a simple broadcast channel and you will have indifferent people moving on to the next employer in no time. Instead, ask questions and viewpoints in order to start conversations. This will add character and colour to your online presence, creating an engaging atmosphere for potential candidates to learn more about your organisation.

With this in mind, nothing beats connecting with candidates through telephone and face-to-face meetings. Do not use social media to replace traditional recruiting, but rather to supplement it. Allow applicants to contact you easily and efficiently through the method of their choice, and you will have a happy candidate in your office in no time!