Are you surprised that social media is taking over conventional recruiting methods even in the field of recruitment? Forget about submitting copies of curriculum vitae in person. Since the early 2000s, people have been using online job boards to post job announcements and apply for positions in different companies. This process makes jobs more accessible for new graduates who don’t know where and how to start in the recruitment game. But for recruiters, the online job boards made it easier to filter, process, and analyze the skills and qualifications of potential candidates.
But today, there is another way to recruit candidates to your company. It’s through social recruitment. The method is the most cost-efficient and cost-effective one to date. It uses social media to post jobs, attract candidates, reach out to potential employees, and cast a wide net over the skills the company needs to see in a potential employee.
This method of recruitment has become easier throughout the years. Several recruitment platforms and tools are designed to help recruiters find candidates on social media. The recruitment process has become innovative with the tools you can find on trusted websites such as skillfuel.com, even allowing recruiters to integrate and automate the process of filtering social media profiles. In fact, the tools even have automation features that will post job openings at the most opportune time to attract the best talents.
Identify Potential Candidates
The first step is to identify candidates that you can reach out to. Remember that recruiting employees is not just about waiting for them to submit their applications; it’s about finding them as well. The most popular social media platform for this is LinkedIn. It’s the Facebook of employment-oriented services. The profiles there are intended to highlight the person’s qualifications and skills. It is not merely for social connections but also for powerful professional network building.
Of course, some forums and groups on Facebook bring together candidates of the same level of interests, skills, and passions. Recruiters can also join these groups to reach out to potential candidates. But in so far as really knowing if a candidate is fit for the job, LinkedIn is the best platform.
Reach out via Social Media
It is a common practice now to reach out to candidates via social media. You can send a direct message via Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Since most people are on Facebook 24/7, this is the easiest way to reach them. They don’t even check their emails as much as they do on Facebook. If you want to get ahead of the pack, send a message via Facebook and email. You will likely find the email address on that person’s LinkedIn profile.
In the message, be direct about why you want that person to try applying for the position. What do you see in their skills and qualifications that will make them the perfect fit for the job vacancy? When do you need to know their response? Are you hiring immediately, or will it take time for the management to process all applications? What are the things that the candidate needs to submit to you?
Use Hashtags for Long-term Cohesion
You need to tweet about the job vacancies in your company. Social media users aren’t just using Twitter to microblog about their day and comment on current issues. They’re also using it to find opportunities. Using the proper hashtags will build your network better. A click on that hashtag will tell the potential candidates everything they need to know about the position. Additionally, they will also find out if a job posting is still available.
Post Photos of Your Current Employees
Recruiters are not the only ones doing research. Candidates will also try to determine if a company has a good reputation among their past and current employees. This is why it’s important to post a photo of your current employees on your own social media profiles. This will provide a glimpse into what candidates can expect when they join the team. Make it a habit to post behind-the-scenes and team-building activities photos. These will encourage potential candidates to trying to apply for a position in your company.
Create a Video and Share It on Social Media
Instead of merely posting photos, you can create a video that will showcase the organization’s culture. Show the various activities that your company engaged with. If your organization is active in the community, then show that, too. Job seekers today are no longer solely attracted to compensation packages. They want to join companies that will boost their confidence and, at the same time, provide for them a way to achieve work-life balance.
Yes, using social media for recruitment is unconventional; but what is conventional these past decades? As technology continues to improve and shake up societies, it is also making processes and procedures easier. That includes the recruitment process.
