For years, the staple resource of HR recruiting has been job boards, staffing agencies, and word of mouth referrals. These are great ways of recruiting for active job seekers, but what about the people you don’t even know you want yet? The passive candidates, the ones who haven’t yet decided that they’re ready for a career change and may possibly be a great fit for your organization. What’s the best way to reach this audience, who may or may not be regularly checking job boards or listening to their friends rave about their own jobs?
The answer: Social Media. Of the advancements in the recruiting world, the use of social media to both attract and recruit job candidates has been a rising trend among HR departments and even staffing agencies. By utilizing sources like Google AdWords, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube, companies of varying sizes have a channel of communication with a passive audience by merely being in their line of sight.
Companies who have begun to source more energy into their social media presence are beginning to find the benefits of social geo-location and the ability to reach a broader demographic of skills and talents. Using particular social media outlets, such as Google AdWords, allows companies to target certain types of candidates and specific types of skill sets. This is good for seeking candidates for general positions, but is also great for searching out niche candidates as well.
Currently, LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform being used by HR departments across all industries of various sizes. This professional network can allow recruiters the option to add their company to industry groups, forums and discussions and start to seek out people who follow those groups as potential, interested candidates. Smaller organizations are recruiting by this method mainly. Larger organizations, however, have more opportunity (in budget and labor) to post information about their company and seek out candidates via platforms like Twitter and YouTube for a wider reach. The trend is also beginning to show that most companies are seeking managers and salaried positions in the people they seek through social media.
So why aren’t all HR departments and companies using the broad reach of social media to attract candidates? For one, time and resources devoted towards the upkeep of showcasing a company and seeking out candidates can be a burden on both budget and available employees. Another is that while information shared publicly via social media is by nature public, some companies fear potential legal risk regarding the privacy of candidates and what they might find out.
Here are a few tips for companies thinking about using social media as a platform of exposure to passive candidates:
Update all company social media platforms regularly: showcase what your company is working on and past projects so that candidates are informed about what you do and what your goals are.
Update all social media platforms to be mobile friendly.
Be a helpful resource: give information, don’t just ask for it (but do have links and forms to collect information from interested parties!).
Are you in need of top quality candidates and are just starting to work on your social media presence? Innovative can help find candidates who are present on social media and are social media savvy too! Their team will work with your hiring managers and HR departments to point out where a social media presence may need to be updated. For candidates who are actively–or passively–seeking a new job or career change, Innovative can help you find a career to fit your needs. Check out our job postings, as well as Twitter and LinkedIn for more information on what we’re up to!