Looking to hire someone? It’s unlikely you will advertise the position in the local newspaper.
Print job ads are all but dead. It’s a well-known fact that most recruitment happens online these days. But it’s not just via recruitment websites. The rise of social media has made a huge impact on the recruitment process, due to one simple fact – it’s where people are.
According to a recent report, more than 90% of recruiters use social media to reach out to potential candidates.
That’s because social media is much further reaching than the local rag, and it targets potential candidates when they’re not actively looking. By using LinkedIn, Facebook and even Instagram, you can hone in on and target those people most likely to fit the bill.
This week Likeable Nick posted a job opportunity on LinkedIn. But not in the traditional sense.
He wrote a piece ‘How to get a creative job at Likeable Lab’ which talked about how Likeable Lab is looking to grow a flexible workforce of content creators (see here and apply within).
Nick shared the story of Holly, an enterprising young woman who got his attention by taking a very creative approach (a smart move when putting yourself forward for a creative position).
Nick then took his own creative approach by using her story to reach out to other aspiring ‘Likeables’.
Social media is all about making connections. It’s where people have conversations and express ideas. Unlike a Classified ad in a newspaper, it’s a two-way thing.
So you can’t approach it the same way. There’s an art to it.
How to recruit on social media
- Choose the right platform. LinkedIn is used widely for recruitment in the corporate world, but if you’re looking for a plumber or healthcare worker, you’re more likely to connect with them via Facebook.
- Use the right voice and tone. For instance, you might take a more formal approach when recruiting someone in the financial sector, but adopt a more playful style for a ‘tradie’.
- Share content about your business that showcases your workplace culture. Not only will it show what a great place it is to work, it will also help attract candidates that are a good fit for your team.
- Ask employees to share job postings. Social media is the modern-day word-of-mouth, and happy employees are an important resource in spreading the word.
- Be part of the conversation. Have a voice on social media and comment in circles that put your business in front of the right people.
- Use hashtags where appropriate, particularly on Twitter and Instagram.
- Make sure your company page on LinkedIn, and ‘About’ page on Facebook are up-to-date, so potential candidates can find out everything they need to know about you.
The beauty of social media is that it allows you to zero-in on your target audience. By applying filters, like location, skills and interests, you can run an extremely targeted recruitment campaign.
And last, but not least, be creative.
If you need help with that, shoot us a message. We’d love to help you find your next perfect candidate via social media.
