The way companies look for talent has changed rapidly over the past few years. Recruiters no longer rely on just newspaper ads or job portals to bring in candidates. Now, most of them use social media platforms.
Before, people use social media sites like Facebook and Instagram to post about their day. A vast majority of social media users are between the ages of 18 and 29, the new-age workforce.
Several organizations already saw the potential of social media in talent acquisition. However, other companies have yet to leverage these sites to position themselves as a top employer of choice.
Why Consider Social Media in Your Recruitment Strategy
Social media recruitment falls under passive hiring, in which an employer engages with a potential candidate who is not actively looking for a new job opportunity. This is a start contrast with active hiring, in which an employer responds to job ads and collects resumes from interested candidates.
With talent acquisition becoming more competitive, passive hiring is essential than ever. With social media, employers can publish targeted messages to an audience, improving the chances of convincing quality candidates to apply.
Employers can also engage potential clients on social media. With targeted and personalized engagement, candidates hired through social media are more loyal to the company.
Approaching Social Media Recruitment
Recruitment experts recommend approaching social media recruitment in three ways: creating content, posting them on relevant platforms, and adjusting the strategy.
Content Creation
The first step is for an organization to create brand awareness within their prospective talents. This is done by building an attractive website and generating relevant content.
Organizations can consider releasing content like:
- A day in the life in the organization. Some organizations run campaigns around what goes on in their workplace. They also share testimonials from their current employees.
- Work and thought leadership. Organizations can showcase the projects they’re working on, the technologies they’re developing, and the stories of the leaders behind them.
- Having dedicated content that shows employee benefits. This gives a clear idea of what the organization has to offer.
Sharing regular updates on these will give candidates a glimpse of a regular workday and the work culture of an organization.
Disseminating to Relevant Platforms
There are a variety of social media platforms to choose from, but not all candidates look for jobs there. Recruiters can explore popular websites like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to promote to the right candidates.
Organizations can also consider social media platforms that are specific to an industry. For example, recruiters looking for web developers can check GitHub. Behance is an excellent place to check a candidate’s creative work.
Adjusting the Social Media Strategy
Regularly monitoring a social media campaign determines whether a strategy is working and what can be improved. Several talent acquisition software, like SkillFuel, integrate social media recruitment with current recruitment tasks like applicant tracking and interview scheduling. These types of software also provide insights on which platform and posts encouraged most applicants to apply.
Social media is a massive gamechanger in recruitment, from sourcing candidates to guiding their decision in joining an organization. With a robust social media strategy, you can attract the right candidates and complement your active recruitment efforts.