How Some Companies Are Using Social Media to Recruit Top Talent
And why you shouldn’t wait another minute to follow suit
It’s a digital world. And every person in every industry, everywhere in the world is impacted by and engaging in new ways via today’s technology. When it comes to recruiting, the advent of social media has opened up brand new avenues to hiring and is rapidly doing away with the old paper-in-hand resume model of yesteryear.
Companies that embrace social media channels for their recruitment efforts are already outnumbering those who don’t – and those who haven’t jumped on this bandwagon may just find themselves searching for talent in a vast wasteland of mediocrity.
Social hiring – who’s in?
When you consider that in a given month, there are more than 250 million people using Twitter, 300 million using Instagram, and close to 900 million using Facebook, the question of just how powerful social media channels could be for your company should be crystal clear.
The fact is, more and more hiring managers and recruiters are sourcing their candidates through social media and finding the employees they’re looking for. Big dogs like UPS, Home Depot, and Disney are maximizing the advantages that only social media provides: huge reach, the ability to interact and engage with candidates virtually in real time, and the opportunity to use compelling photography and enticing videos.
Why would anyone want to work for you?
What’s it like to work at your company? Instead of the old, one-dimensional wanted ad, why not show them with a big, bold photo or a high-energy video on LinkedIn or Facebook that features your top workers doing what they do best?
Consider how Marriott not only features open positions on Facebook but also includes photos of the properties where the jobs are located. Talk about enticing! They are leveraging their brand effectively with a page has more than one million likes. They also offer “career chats” where their employees answer questions from potential candidates – and they keep it warm and friendly by having their team members use their first names instead of just “Marriott Hotels.”
How appealing is your social talent brand?
If you’re shaking your head, it’s time you learned what this term means. Picture Google headquarters, for example. Pretty much everyone with a pulse immediately envisions a bunch of really creative, talented people working together in a bright, colorful, progressive, campus-like environment – complete with think tanks, coffee bars, fitness centers, and other really cool perks.
And the reason we can all relate to what it would be like to work there is because Google does an amazing job at showing off their social talent brand. The key is to have a cohesive brand across all channels, and keeping it fresh at all times (always be posting).
Got evangelists?
Companies that are great places to work have no problem finding employees who want to talk about it. Giving your team permission to tweet, post, and engage online with others about how awesome your organization is can be a key way to draw in talent. And when you consider that candidates are more willing to explore an opportunity that they learned about from a friend or connection, having your team share on their own pages can take your recruitment efforts farther than ever before.
Is your culture a cause for celebration?
Even if you’re not posting a new position, sharing your company culture on your social media pages helps spread the word about what makes your organization unique and special. So when you’re hosting that office Halloween costume contest, creating a new prototype that’s going to blow the industry away, or doing a group charity event, post those pics and videos and get everyone to share, tweet, retweet, and repeat.
There’s no denying the power of social media. And whether you like it or not, the world of recruiting is rapidly becoming 100 percent digital. So either you’re in or you’re out. And if you want to continue to attract top talent, especially techies, millennials, and even generation Z, being out is not an option.
Ready for a new generation of talent? If so, turn to us. We’re leading the recruitment industry with our innovative methodology and proprietary software that goes beyond traditional methods to connect you with one of the largest networks of technical talent worldwide.
