Creating a Social Media Strategy for Recruitment

There are so many options with social media that it can be a real challenge to create a coherent approach when using it as a recruiting tool. But what things should you consider when creating a credible social media recruitment strategy?

Who are you looking for?

The goal of social media recruitment is to find the right person for your job vacancy. That is about finding the social media platform that has the candidates you are looking for and using that media in a way to reach those candidates effectively. Before you begin to engage with any social media for recruitment, make sure that the people you are looking for are using the social media. Only when you’re certain of that, can you think about a strategy of how to engage them.

Who are you?

Whatever social media you choose consider your identity on it. Get the basics right. Make sure your profile is attractive. Choose your photo carefully. Effective social media recruitment and sourcing is about connecting with people —and you want the right people to connect with you. First impressions matter online too.

Engagement

Unlike traditional media where you simply advertise something and wait for response, using social media to recruit is far more active. Whether it is posting blogs, tweeting or making friends, effective social media recruitment requires dedicated engagement. You have to work at it. But again, to be effective in your social recruitment strategy you must ensure that the channels you are using are the right ones for your candidates and that you are engaging with them effectively.

Keep it personal

Social media is all about making connections and working those connections to find or get to quality candidates. The best way of making connections is by keeping it personal. Communicate and connect in a meaningful and thoughtful manner. The best and easiest way of doing this is to find places and people who share an interest in your business or industry and participate and engage with others in that community.

Keep it authentic

Social media works best when it is about people. If people just wanted to hear about your business they would have signed up for a newsletter. Don’t simply be the voice of your business online. And definitely avoid being too salesy. In other words, don’t be a business; be a person. Be you. People have relationships with people not businesses. What’s more, being the person you are in your company lets potential candidates know more about your company than you could ever explain: the fact that you are working there is already telling them something about your company.

Be interesting

It’s easier said than done, of course. But social media is about being interesting. Share news and information that will be of interest to your connections. Remember, it doesn’t always have to be “business.” People like the personal stuff too.

In many ways, it pays to think about social media like an old-fashioned networking event. You go to the event, you have your little blurb ready about yourself and your company, but that is soon out of the way and you are onto chatting and connecting over common interests and, yes, gossip. Well, it’s the same online. Going on and on about your company all the time will not make many friends. You will, very quickly, end up in the kitchen at the social media party.

Finding candidates

Of course, all of this activity is about finding candidates for your company. If you are in the right places you will start finding them. If you engage well you will start connecting with them. But be sure to “read” them too. Look at how they are connected and interacting with the social media space. What kind of engagement are they offering? Are they contributing? Or are they an empty avatar online? If they are engaging online, it is probable that they are engaging in their job too. These, of course, are the people you are looking for.

Networking like it’s 1999

In many ways, and in spite of all the hype, social media is really a step back in recruitment. Social media is about old-fashioned networking. The difference lies in the tools used for this networking. Social Media simply offers you new and different tools to do the old-fashioned business of networking. And just like-old fashioned networking social media networking only works if you connect meaningfully with people.

Next steps? Check out these other guides and articles:

• An Introduction to LinkedIn for recruitment
• An Introduction to Social Media Recruitment
• How to advertise a job with Facebook
• How to advertise a job with Twitter