Posted

I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day you bet on people, not strategies.”- Lawrence Bossidy

When it comes to finding the right candidates for your company, former COO of GE Lawrence Bossidy had it right- nothing you do will be more important than hiring and developing great people. That’s what makes companies tick and brings out some of the best innovations and most successful corporations. It’s not the strategies, it’s the people. And what better way to find these amazing candidates than through social media.

Tips on Using Social Media for Your Recruiting Efforts

Plug in, not out. Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn should be a part of your daily mantra when it comes to recruiting. If your company doesn’t have these sites already built into your marketing platform, then it should start now. Plugging into these social media sites not only allows you to connect with fellow colleagues in your industry, but allows you to give updates and buzz worthy news to people you are connected too. Think of it as a trickle down effect. The more people you are connected to via social media, the more chances you have of the right candidate hearing through the “grape vine” that you are hiring. Whether it’s a re-tweet to other individuals or seen by your company’s 2,000 followers, it’s the best way to get exposure and find the right candidate quickly. It also allows peers that you respect and value to recommend individuals they know; the “I’ll scratch your back and in the future, you scratch mine” mentality. It’s called reciprocity and Robert Cialdini had it right. To bring in strong, innovative and the best fit candidates to a corporation, utilize your network of peers and colleagues. You’ll return the favor one day, and your company will benefit greatly for it.

Your company website needs to have its own platform.

Even if you have all of your social media ducks in a row, you need to build up your own company website and blog platform. Most marketing departments use trusty tools like HubSpot, WordPress or YUDU to build branding platforms that allow the company to communicate with their community. HR departments should have their own careers page or blog where you can post a variety of topics from college courses that are in demand for your industry to current certifications the company is offering to employees. It also allows you to discuss new jobs within the company and what it is that makes your company so great to work for. These types of platforms allow you to talk about a position or the company benefits in a creative and less technical fashion than you can on the typical jobs board section of a company website. What this does is give your HR and recruiting departments a way to connect with candidates in a more direct and passionate way, hopefully snaring that perfect candidate.

Don’t wait for them to come to you

LinkedIn is a great way to spider web out the jobs you have available, but it’s also a great way for you to do some digging. Sitting back and waiting for candidates to trickle in could lead to a very long wait. Markets are competitive these days, so being proactive on social media means more than pushing information out, it means finding the information as well. What’s great about LinkedIn is that there are many tools and advanced settings you can utilize to search for candidates. Most often, you can look at someone’s profile without sending a linked request, which gives you at least basic information about a potential candidate. If you like what you see and really want to get a candidate’s attention, don’t view their profile anonymously. Allow them to see that you have been looking at them. This will get their attention and then in turn have them digging around your profile and company site in return.

Yes! YouTube can be your friend

If used the right way, youtube is a great place to draw a candidate’s attention. Video marketing is a trend that is not slowing down anytime soon. Injecting a bit of personality into your careers page, company website and social media profiles not only draws the attention of multiple candidates, but hopefully brings in the right candidate that will compliment your team and company goals.

WorkSource Staffing understands the importance of finding the right candidates for your company for the long term. We offer highly qualified staff that will help you through every stage of the hiring process.  Contact our team at WorkSource Staffing today to learn how we can help you with your hiring needs.

Leave a Reply

  • (will not be published)