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Today’s Question: What do recruiters need to know about social media ? How can they turn platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and the like into powerful sourcing channels?
1. Get Specific
On Twitter, don’t use your social media accounts to blast all your positions to everyone. Create specific accounts on Twitter for different tiers of people you are looking for, as well as different geographical locations if you cover a very large area. Many people don’t want to see jobs for areas they aren’t interested in or at levels they are not qualified for.
I think many recruiters and hiring managers spend too much time only seeking out negative items on social media about candidates. It is as if the platforms are being utilized to rule candidates out instead of also looking for candidates’ good qualities.
Finding out that someone volunteers at a homeless shelter could suggest qualities that would be beneficial for hiring managers, but sometimes we are too focused on finding that bombshell photo of a candidate looking to be overserved. I think recruiters need to know that social media research should be used for both positive and negative purposes alike.
The biggest thing any recruiter can do to help them succeed on social media is use a tool like Google Analytics. When you have analytics working properly for your site, you’ll know for a fact which social media channels are working for you and which ones are a waste of your time. Whether you’re trying to get prospects to sign up for your recruiting newsletter or check out potential listings on your site, analytics can show you where you should double-down on your social media efforts to get more bang for your buck.
When recruiters are viewing the profile of someone who looks like a great candidate, they should look for “also viewed” or “similar” recommendations from the site. That information essentially shows you other candidates who might be worth your time.
Just like any one else who who uses social media for business, recruiters need to understand that it is all about content marketing these days. Content marketing’s function is to provide current and potential customers with beneficial and valuable content in the form of both created and curated articles. It is non-interruption marketing. Every consumer is constantly being bombarded with marketing messages, so much so that they ignore or don’t retain the majority of those messages.
Content marketing is driven by the belief that, if a person or business delivers consistent, ongoing, valuable information to customers, then customers will eventually reward that person with their business and loyalty. Content marketing communicates true authenticity and trust, which is key to building long-standing relationships with any customers or candidates.
Consider how your business is portrayed on LinkedIn. Millennials are the most transparent generation in history. Because of this, employers need to be completely transparent throughout the recruiting process.
The picture you paint on social media will play a big role in your ability to attract the millennials who are looking for balance, flexibility, personal development, and the potential to earn a solid living in careers they love. It is no longer about money or giving yourself up to the 60-hour workweek; for today’s candidates, it’s about the whole package.
