The new era of social media recruiting

When looking for new employees, how do you prefer to recruit?

Traditional methods include using recruitment consultancies, online sites such as indeed.com, advertising on your website and then sending out physical job packs, recruitment fairs, or even word of mouth.

But you can keep up with your competitors by making use of social media – and hugely increase the number of applications you receive. Social media is a highly effective way to reach passive job candidates – people who are not actively looking for a new job, but who may be prepared to move if the right opportunity presents itself.

A social media strategy can be basic. You can simply set up some accounts for your company to be used specifically for recruitment.  And then advertise your job vacancies on them. Which social media channels to use? Facebook is useful for young people who are not yet in the workforce.  For more experienced staff, LinkedIn is a better bet.  Instagram – which focuses on photos – is becoming increasingly popular. It’s possible to use social media tools to target your adverts towards the kind of people you are most interested in.  This can be very cost effective.

For a more sophisticated social media presence, try to interact with prospective job applicants.  If you can become part of the conversation – on Twitter for instance – you will improve your recognition factor and come into contact with people who are genuinely motivated by the kind of work you offer.

If you are prepared to lose control a little – to come across as human if you like – you can attract more interest from good candidates. People like to feel that they are seeing the true face of a company, and the reality of the job on offer. So why not encourage current members of staff to write or speak about their experiences in the workplace.  And be prepared to respond fully and transparently to questions asked online.