Social Media Recruiting

What Is Social Media Recruiting?

Social media recruiting is the process of using social media platforms, like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, to share job postings, network with professionals, and research potential job candidates. 

Why Is Social Media Important for Recruiting?

Social media channels make the recruitment process significantly easier. Here are three reasons why.

1. Millennials Are Already Looking for Jobs on Social Media

A study from Aberdeen Group found that 73 percent of millennials have successfully used social media to look for job openings. Since millennials are already looking for jobs on these platforms, companies only benefit from posting their job openings on social media.

2. Social Posts Increase Your Job Listing’s Visibility

Billions of people use social media. Between people passively looking through their social media feed to those actively looking for jobs, your job postings are bound to come across interested and qualified candidates.

3. Candidate Interaction on Social Channels Improves Your Brand Awareness

It’s possible some candidates simply haven’t heard of your company before. Posting on social media and networking with those candidates can improve your brand’s visibility and reputation.

How Is Social Media Used in Recruiting?

Social media can help recruiters with several otherwise difficult aspects of job recruitment:

Reaching Passive Candidates

Passive candidates are those who are not actively looking for a new job and are more or less content with their current job. However, they are interested in other roles and might check the latest job posts on social media out of curiosity.

Posting frequently can help you be visible to these passive candidates as they browse their feed. Consider also using videos to connect with these candidates—videos are highly engaging and can quickly inform passive candidates about your company, its culture, and the job you’re offering.

Interacting with Interested Candidates

Interested candidates are more likely to apply, but it helps to nurture their interest and give them an extra push. 

For example, some interested candidates may have some hesitations or questions about the open position. With social media, they can also send direct messages and comment on your posts. If you interact with their questions, you can start building professional relationships before you even get an application.

Finding Niche Networks

While you can find thousands of qualified candidates on social media, you may want to find candidates who qualify for an incredibly niche role. Social media pages and forums can help you find these candidates. For example, your ideal candidate may have just left an insightful comment on a Reddit post or Quora question.

It’s also important for you to establish your brand in these niche places on the internet so candidates can find you as easily as you can find them.

When Should You Use Social Media for Recruitment?

Social media recruiting should always be a part of your recruitment strategy. Using it will help you reach a wider audience. 

Which Social Media Site Is Most Commonly Used for Recruitment?

The majority of popular social media platforms can be used for social media recruiting.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the most popular social media platform for job recruitment. Because the website is designed with professional networking in mind, it has tools that make posting jobs and accepting resumes incredibly easy. LinkedIn also offers post boosting, which lets you promote your job postings.

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are also viable options for social media recruiting. These platforms allow you to boost posts using specific demographic information. And because these platforms are more casual than LinkedIn, you can also get an idea of your candidate’s personality.

YouTube

Certain industries may want to look at a candidate’s YouTube account as well, especially if the job requires video skills. Seeing what the candidate posts on their channel gives you a good idea of their skill level.

What Are the Advantages of Using Social Media for Recruitment?

Companies that use social media recruiting enjoy a range of advantages:

• Cost per hire is significantly reduced.

• You can screen candidates more easily.

• Jobs can be filled more quickly.

• You can access more qualified candidates.

• Recruiters can find more candidates through referrals, followers, and networking.

• You can find candidates to fill ultra-specific roles.

What Are the Disadvantages of Using Social Media for Recruitment?

While there are significant advantages to using social media for recruitment, it can be quite difficult to find the right candidates.

• You need a specific recruitment and targeting strategy.

• You need to invest a good amount of creativity to stand out from other companies.

• Boosting posts can get expensive.

• Your audience may not be on a certain social media platform.

• It’s hard to escape bias (like seeing a candidate’s picture).

• Candidate profiles may be inconsistent with who they are and how they will perform as an employee.