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The Power Of Social Media In Recruiting

Forbes Human Resources Council

Niki is Insperity's director, service operations. She specializes in employee onboarding, human capital management and HR infrastructure.

Social media has become integral to every aspect of business operations, from branding to selling products to customer service. Recruitment is no different, yet HR teams are not always encouraged or trained on how to use social media tools. Many businesses post jobs across hiring websites like LinkedIn or Indeed without promoting open positions on social media or personally engaging with ideal candidates.

As we head into 2023, businesses need to recognize the power of social media to improve recruiting by identifying the right candidates and convincing them to apply and accept the job. Here's how to get started:

Develop Brand Awareness

Social media tactics focusing on recruitment alone cannot succeed without a strong online brand presence. As brands try to attract attention on social media with quirky memes and jokes, brand strength has become increasingly important to profitability and competitiveness. McKinsey found that strong brands outperform competitors by 96%, with the world's 40 strongest brands providing almost twice the total return to shareholders compared with an investment in a Morgan Stanley Capital International World index certificate between 1998 and 2019.

With a strategic social media approach, HR and recruitment teams can both benefit and contribute to strengthening brand value. To maximize synergy, recruitment teams should learn from and collaborate with the marketing department or outside agency in charge of branding. Marketing and communications teams also understand best practices and the latest trends, serving as a training resource for recruiters who want to get into the social media game.

Begin by understanding the current state of the business’s brand and how the brand presence may help or harm the talent pipeline. Signs of a strong online brand presence include regular interaction from employees, customers and candidates, especially likes and clicks on job posts.

If engagement is low, evaluate content for its usefulness to customers and employees. Sharing pictures of employees and bonding events provides useful insight into company culture but may be inadequate to attract a wider following. The most viral content will share information and provide value in areas of business expertise.

Cultivate Relationships Online

Recruitment is about building relationships, so recruiters should also develop their individual branding to form lasting connections. LinkedIn is among the most valuable tools for doing so due to its broad reach among professionals and its status as a hub for job postings. According to Pew Research Center, "roughly half of adults who have a bachelor’s or advanced degree (51%) say they use LinkedIn." Recruiters should share job openings with their individual networks instead of simply sharing from the company account to reach a wider network.

Proactivity is also key. Never miss an opportunity to speak with possible candidates, reach new audiences and maximize reach. If a particular LinkedIn profile seems like a strong fit, recruiters should also consider reaching out directly via professional social media sites to invite the candidate to apply. After a candidate is hired, encourage candidates to post about the new job themselves and tag the official page of their new employer.

Become A Resource For The Industry

The strongest social media presences will see ongoing engagement from the broader community within an industry, not just job seekers. Even workers feeling content with their current roles may become job applicants in the future and represent an important audience for recruiters' social media content.

That is why businesses should share online resources and build a community within their industry. A virtual networking night can strengthen community bonds and brand value, even without a requirement for attendees to apply for a position. When the industry faces challenges, organize a panel discussion to educate workers on how to respond. Engage and partner with influencers in the industry by commenting on posts, donating to fundraising campaigns and joining appropriate trends with memes or jokes.

In selecting topics for panels or social media content, consider which angle will best attract workers within the industry, especially within target groups. For instance, an engineering firm interested in attracting a more diverse applicant pool may wish to host a networking night for women in tech in partnership with an existing organization. By creating goodwill for their business, recruitment leaders can develop a continuous pipeline of applicants.

Social media remains underutilized in recruiting, so in 2023, businesses should leverage social media to recruit the best candidates and establish a pipeline for the future.


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