Social media isn’t just a pastime anymore, it’s a vital part of a successful business strategy. Millions of people use social platforms every month, and these platforms have created a whole new arena for marketing. While many companies use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to advertise and promote their products, these social platforms can also be used to recruit new talent.
If your company is hiring and you want to utilize social media to target thousands of potential superstars, follow these simple steps.
1. Do Your Research
Before you start posting ads or actively recruiting, you need to do your research. Find out which social platforms your target employees are using and where they are sharing their information. Take a look at the big three, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, but also be sure to look at industry specific platforms and blogs.
2. Revamp your Brand
Take a look at how your company is represented on social media and make sure your photos, videos, voice, and overall image are consistent across all social platforms. Brand consistency is extremely important. If you looked at your social profiles, would you want to work at your company? If you want to attract potential employees, your company needs to be appealing.
3. Post Job Openings
One of the biggest perks of recruiting on social media is the fact that it’s free. You can potentially reach thousands of potential candidates with only a few job postings shared across your social networks.
4. Take Advantage of Paid Advertising
Facebook offers targeted advertising, and while this service isn’t free, it allows you to share your post with a very specific audience. Target a certain location, age group, or interest. Paid advertising is also a great way to reach a huge audience outside of your normal reach.
5. Utilize Current Employees
Current employees may be your biggest asset when recruiting on social media. If you’re employees love working at your company, there’s a good chance they will spread the word and let other’s know this is a great place to work. Encourage current employees to share job postings. If you’re work culture truly is great, employees will most likely post or tweet about your company on their own.
6. Share and Engage
Corporate culture is extremely important to the younger generations. Sharing company photos, news, meaningful content, and positive feedback will go along way in attracting younger talent. Social media is not a one-way street. Actively engage with followers and connections. If someone inquires about a job opening or about your company in general, respond in a timely manner. Start conversations, and most importantly, be open to feedback.
7. Use Hashtags
Many companies fail to take the time to learn about this handy tool. Hashtags allow followers to more easily discover your posts. However, you can’t just put a # in front of a word and expect it to work its magic. Do your research to figure out which tags will be most effective and consider adding in your city or state abbreviation.
8. Be Active in LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn is arguably the top social platform for recruiting new talent. After you have updated your profile and personalized your messages, consider joining LinkedIn groups. These groups not only contain a huge pool of potential candidates, but they are often interest driven. Posting insightful content in these groups as well as engaging in discussions is a great way to pique the interest of professionals and establish your company as an industry leader.
If your company isn’t currently taking advantage of social recruiting, it’s time to get onboard. Many talented candidates have ditched newspapers and job boards and rely solely on social platforms to find their next great position. Keep in mind that many job seekers use mobile devices to access social media so it’s important that your website is mobile-friendly.
If you’re new to social media, take a look at this helpful guide. Don’t have time to be active on social platforms? Contact Blindspot Advisors to learn how we can help.