When it comes to using social platforms for recruitment (what we like to call social recruiting), how far is too far? Beyond learning the hard way what works and what doesn’t, several best practices that have emerged to help recruiters and HR pros know when they’ve pushed the proverbial envelope too far. Additionally, hiring professionals are discovering a new line of recruiting applications and tools built into applicant tracking software to help them rise above the same old hashtag to better identify, connect with and place viable candidates.
3 Lessons Learned from the Trenches
Some people are experiencing more success in social recruiting than others, like Carolyn Betts, CEO of Betts Recruiting. Betts was recently featured in a New York Times article for leveraging social media to grow her recruiting success. I recently had the opportunity to chat with her as she shared some lessons she’s learned from the trenches.
- Focus on strategy. You won’t be able to make the most of social media if you’re going in blindly. You must have a plan for how you want to accomplish your goals. Betts suggests starting with one social media platform, familiarizing yourself with it and then growing your presence gradually.
- Have realistic expectations. When you consider your industry and the position you’re hiring for, are your deal-breakers realistic? You need to determine upfront how much weight you’re giving a candidate’s social media presence.
- Leverage the right apps and tools. Many successful social recruiters know that, in order to make the most of your social recruiting presence, you need to leverage the right tools. Why go at it alone when there are applications available to make social recruiting more effective?
Software Expanding Social Recruiting Reach
HR software is growing to help organizations best utilize social media in their recruitment marketing strategy. But before these tools can be fully harnessed, HR and talent acquisition teams must determine whether or not they are in the right social media playground.
According to Jobvite, approximately 85% of U.S. companies used LinkedIn for recruiting last year, though only 30% of active job seekers are using the platform. So, where are the candidates? A large majority of them are on Facebook.
Because candidate information is typically more difficult to find on Facebook, many companies miss the sourcing opportunity the vast network offers. Fortunately, there are applications and third-party software developers devising methods to put actionable candidate information into the hands of recruiters quickly and efficiently.
Click to view the original article and more information on social recruiting software.
Image: DominiqueK/Flickr
Author: Kyle Lagunas
Kyle Lagunas is the HR Analyst at Software Advice. On the surface, it's his job to contribute to the ongoing conversation on all things HR. Beyond that, he makes sure his audience is keeping up with important trends and hot topics in the industry. Focused on offering a fresh take on points of interest in his market, he's not your typical HR guy.
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