Spring. The season of growth, renewal and change – and the time of year that you’re most likely to experience a shift in your staff. Whether you’re looking to replace employees who have left for greener pastures, or expand your team to accommodate new growth, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are here to help.
You’re no doubt already using the Internet to advertise vacancies: job seeker sites and the like, but have you thought about using social networks instead? While posting positions with a local recruiter can grant you a wide audience, there isn’t really room to maneuver when it comes to differentiating your company from others. These online spaces typically cater to the job seeker, and aren’t necessarily focused on sourcing your ideal candidate.
Why Use Social Networks To Hire?
The interaction across social media lends itself to businesses making real and personal connections with their clients. There’s no reason this can’t be successfully extended to making real and personal connections with prospective new hires. Wield your social networks as a recruiting tool by:
- Sharing. Your connections will already be getting updates about your business, so a post about your staffing needs won’t be seen as out of left field.
- Reaping the Benefits of Loyalty. Whether they be long-standing clients or new signups, those connected to you will already be interested in your company. Pitch directly to potential employees who will want to work with you.
- Being Personal. Let your solicitation be the first part of a conversation, and not just a static ad. This is your chance to sell yourself as an employer.
- Gathering Information. Get to know your candidate before it comes to the interview. Build your rapport online, and dispense with only having a sterile résumé to work from.
Using Facebook
Facebook has a variety of options to choose from when it comes to finding your new employee:
- Facebook Marketplace. Posting ads on the Marketplace is currently free. The ad will be visible on your Facebook timeline, and will also feature on your connected users’ feeds. If you’re not sure who or where to target, this is a good place to start.
- Facebook Ad. If you’d like to target a geographical area or a particular user group, Facebook Ad is a great tool. Before the ad is published you’ll be asked a series of questions to ensure you’ll be focusing on the right demographic.
- Pages. In addition to status updates and comments, you could also add a recruitment app to your page. One such app, Work For Us, allows job seekers to submit their application directly through Facebook.
Using LinkedIn
LinkedIn, like Facebook, has more than one way to broadcast your hiring news. For those who are used to advertising positions through traditional job seeker sites, LinkedIn’s “post a job” service will feel familiar. But be prepared for a stark difference in cost: accessing a global network of business professionals doesn’t come cheap.
Updating your LinkedIn status is a much more frugal way to spread your message. Increase the likelihood of reaching your desired audience by joining relevant LinkedIn business groups, and taking responsibility for making worthwhile connections with other users.
Using Twitter
At first glance Twitter may seem like a recruitment non-starter. How can you convey how great it would be to work for your company, when there’s a 140 character limit? Twitter users aren’t looking for essays; a brief message with a shortened link back to your website is more than appropriate.
If you’re still in the middle of amassing followers, using Twitter’s hash tag filter will widen your net. Adding tags such as #job, #recruiting, #hiring, #career or #NAJ (Twitter-speak for “need a job”) will enable your tweet to be searchable by all Twitter users.
We wish you the best of luck in the search for your team’s next superstar. If you’d like to know more about leveraging all that social networks have to offer, please contact us.
