TalentMinded

Creating a solid social recruitment strategy involves more than picking and choosing which social networks to become active on and how often to post content. Pinpointing your audience and actively targeting that pool of talent can make or break your recruitment success.

When trying to fill entry-level positions or advertise internship opportunities, simply being active on social media won’t guarantee the ROI you might expect. College students are a different breed of talent and participate differently online than the average user. While some students are ahead of the game – applying for opportunities prior to graduation – many prefer to wait until the ceremony is over to dive into the career world.

According to recent studies, 45% of companies already use Twitter to find talent, so engaging soon-to-be grads online is imperative to getting your brand on their radar and a leg up on your competition. Although Facebook is often the social media center of attention, Twitter has several unique features that lend themselves to recruitment. And with college recruiting starting to reach pre-recession levels, these three tips can get your company’s Twitter recruitment efforts a passing grade.

1. Make a separate account for college recruiting. Engaging talent of any level is done best with audience-specific marketing tactics. As opposed to communicating via your company’s main Twitter account, set up a separate account for college recruitment. Google’s student Twitter feed – @googlestudents – links to intern stories, actively retweets student tweets and keeps users coming back with relevant articles and videos. The language and overall vibe of the content are appropriately directed toward college students, unlike the broader @googlejobs feed.

Creating a unique Twitter handle for college recruitment may not be for all sizes and types of organizations. If you’re unable to have a college-focused recruitment account, take cues from Newell Rubbermaid’s Twitter feed, @CareersatNWL. A single account doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate college-friendly content, information about job fairs and internships and features that show followers just how cool it is to work for your company. While sharing new opportunities is key in recruitment, auto-feeding jobs and internships is a surefire way to make followers yawn, lose interest and ultimately hit “Unfollow.”

2. Show them some love. College students spend a lot of time using social media. In fact, Nielsen’s recent Social Media Report shows the most active users on social networks are those with a bachelor’s or post graduate degree, followed closely by users with some college education. From the time they wake up to the time they call it quits for the night, many college students are texting, tweeting and interacting with friends and brands. With some high schools beginning to incorporate social media into the classroom, most college students are used to an interactive social media experience. By retweeting your followers, replying to their tweets and encouraging interaction, you’re able to form a bond with desired talent, even if it’s a few years before they’re actively seeking a job.

3. Be captivating, compelling and charismatic. Compelling content attracts readers and leads to an affinity for your brand. Professionalism can be maintained while letting your organization’s culture and personality shine through, so don’t be afraid to have a little fun. To encourage engagement, post career-related questions, retweet your favorite responses, encourage followers to tweet pictures from campus tours and recruiting events or host a contest and award winners with an interview for a summer internship.

Whatever techniques you choose for your Twitter recruitment strategy, it’s imperative to think outside the box. Your collegiate followers will appreciate the special attention and your ability to connect, leading to long-term talent relationships for years to come.

 

Photo credit: Raffi Asdourian/Flickr