Social Media and It’s Importance as A Recruitment Tool
Posted on:
by Namratha Ambat
IT Jobs and Recruitment Insights
Social recruiting is booming as a trend in today’s environment as a substantial level of employers indicate that the quantity and quality of applications they receive through social channels are high. As an employer make sure to hop on board and reap the benefits.
Social recruiting aims at obtaining good quality candidates while creating relationships with them. One of the main benefits of social recruiting is that it helps to grab the attention of passive candidates (those who are not actively looking for new job opportunities).
It has been found that the average person now has 7.6 active social media accounts, so if you’re looking for job seekers, social platforms are increasingly growing as a popular go-to option.
Using social media to recruit can deliver highly successful results when well planned and executed. There are a few series of steps to keep in mind while creating this plan.
How to generate inbound talent leads for your open roles using social media?
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Creating the target persona
Collect all the relevant information needed from the hiring team regarding the ideal potential hire. This includes information apart from just their technical skills, what kind of soft skills and personality traits are needed for them to add to the current culture in the business.. Having this information will help in creating your target audience.
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Shortlisting the channels of communication
Different demographics exist on different social media platforms. Also, different social media platforms have different types of interest groups. Through the initial information gathering process it will be easy to identify what level of seniority you’re recruiting for and what type of skills are needed.
Using this information you’ll be able to plan out what channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) should be used to reach your target audience.
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Mapping out the recruitment journey
This is where you can create a social media presence and plan which will help you to capture the attention of your audience and move them through the awareness, consideration, and decision phases.
Awareness stage
In this stage, through employer branding efforts you’ll be able to educate and communicate information on your company. Make sure the content shared at this stage is strong since this is your first chance to make an impact on the minds of your audience.
While using a recruitment agency make sure that you’re communicating all the key points to the consultant you’re dealing with, so that they’re able to share the correct information with their network of candidates as well.
Consideration stage
Similar to a buyer's journey, you’ll need to show a potential candidate why they should consider working for your company. Show them how you can offer to help them grow and move up the career ladder and what they can achieve by working with you. This can be conveyed through a well-written job description and sharing employee stories.
People are more inclined to work with those companies whose employees are more vocal about their experience with the company. Turn your employees in to your company brand promoters.
Decision stage
At this stage the candidate has narrowed down their options in terms of companies they’re looking to work for. A strong employer branding message regarding culture and the work environment could help in directing the candidate towards your open role.
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Following up
The process does not end when they apply, the next step is critical. You now need to follow up and respond to the applications you receive. Their candidate expereince starts from the very first step of contact with the company. Make sure you make a good impression. Creating a lasting impression regarding their interaction with the company, could result in better reviews of the company on different platforms and eventually lead to stronger brand image.
What are the best social recruitment sites?
The top three sites to engage with potential candidates, which have rendered the most promising results are:
Using LinkedIn in your recruitment efforts
LinkedIn was the game-changer that set the base for job search within social media. It has become the go-to tool for those seeking new job opportunities and has become the social resume for many.
Top 3 tips while recruiting using LinkedIn for employers:
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LinkedIn is one of the strongest social tools for a recruiter. Hence, by developing your profile to reflect your niche area within recruitment, you’ll be able to attract the right kind of network and talent. Creating a well-mapped out recruiter brand is key.
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For employers, along with the advantage of being able to present the job opportunities to relevant job seekers, it boosts the employer’s chances of finding the right fit.
The possibility of targeting a particular skill-set, as well as the chance to target precise geolocation, could act as a rather time-saving alternative in the recruitment process, as potential candidates are targeted on pre-set necessities.
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Keep your company page up-to-date. Along with sharing all information regarding your company content for customers, it is key to provide an insight into your employee engagement, your culture.
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Always add a personal touch when reaching out to candidates. Customising your message can go a long way in the process of hiring a top-quality candidate.
Importance of looking at social platforms outside LinkedIn
People vector created by stories - www.freepik.com
LinkedIn is running ahead in the game when it comes to job search, but keeping an eye out and maintaining a substantial presence on other platforms by the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Glassdoor could also be useful.
Research has shown that a good portion of recruiters consider Facebook and Twitter to improve their chances of recruiting optimal candidates.
Good content paints a picture of your company, which in turn creates an impression in the minds of potential job seekers.
Establishing a connection with candidates builds the reputation of the company. Having the right kind of reputation is imperative because this will play an important role in the minds of job seekers when it comes to sending out applications. Also, having a social presence establishes the brand name of the company with potential candidates and improves brand recognition.
Do you need a hand in improving your brand presence in the market? We have the resources to help map out your talent search and also strengthen your brand image. Have a look at our Employer Branding page to gain further insight into this. If you’re happy with what you see, you can get in touch with us at info@gempool.ie.
