These Social Media Tips Will Make You Rethink Recruiting The four biggest social media outlets provide unique features that can be used to grab the attention of job seekers.
By Kes Thygesen Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
In a world connected by smartphones and social media, attracting and recruiting talent is constantly changing. Companies realize that merely posting an opening on leading job boards won't cut it anymore. They need to turn to their employees, who are credible voices for the employer brand to develop and maintain a strong social media presence.
The growing popularity of outlets like Facebook and Twitter makes social media a popular choice for recruiting today's top talent. LinkedIn's Global Recruiting Trends 2016 report found 47 percent of the 3,894 hiring managers surveyed say social media is the most effective employer branding tool.
Each outlet offers unique features and functions that can be used in exciting ways to grab the attention of job seekers. Here are some social media tips for each outlet and how employees can lend a hand in the talent search:
LinkedIn.
The design and functionality of LinkedIn make it a top choice for hiring professionals. It is a great tool to incorporate into a robust employee referral program. When employees refer someone or when hiring managers find strong candidates, reach out directly through InMail. Direct engagement is more meaningful and a great way to express an interest in qualified candidates who would fit well in the company.
Related: 3 Ways to Be Constantly Recruiting Star Talent Through Social Media
Train employees and hiring professionals to search the platform for good fits by using keywords and phrases that match what the position needs. The more connections made, the bigger the talent pool. Encourage current staff members to join groups and raise brand awareness to attract top talent. They should connect and engage the best of the best.
Make the most out of the company page by optimizing it with keywords that candidates use during their search. Just posting company content and hoping for qualified talent to come is a hopeless pursuit. Set it up for success by getting the staff involved.
As far as content goes, provide job seekers with the information they want to know about a potential future employer -- the organizational culture, the mission, vision, values and benefit packages. When sharing new job opportunities, be concise but informative, and design an engaging page that is easy for candidates to navigate to encourage them to research the company.
The Nature Conservancy hosts a strong LinkedIn company page because it puts its mission front-and-center. They also post interesting content and link back to their own blog and other relevant blogs that their audience would benefit from.
Facebook.
Being the largest social media network, Facebook offers a lot of potential. To stay competitive and stand out from other content, establish a strict schedule that posts regularly to the company page. Share company and industry news and updates, post home blogs, announce upcoming events and inform followers about new career opportunities.
Encourage employees to share company content on their personal pages to spread brand awareness and direct their friends to the company's career page. They can also share their passion for the consumer products offered by the company.
Related: How to Hire Without Spending a Fortune. (Hint: Use Social Media.)
Tying the consumer to the employer brand is important because the credibility and value associated with the product line feeds the employer brand. Draw that conclusion for job seekers -- a great product is offered by a happy, fun staff who love what they do.
Starbucks is known for having one of the best company Facebook pages. Their content tends to be visual, which engages followers with their product. They also run promotional contests, interact with their community, share news and updates on their community service events, explore the inspiration behind their store redesigns and highlight their job openings.
Twitter.
To make a tweet go a long way, companies need an audience. In the world of Twitter, that comes in the form of followers. Building a large following leads to more interest and more effective recruiting efforts, which is why it is the most important thing to do first.
Use search capabilities to locate qualified candidates who match the role and company and start to follow them. This may pique their interest and get them to follow and engaged with the company.
It's important to show the human side of the company on social media. With so many spammers, job seekers are quick to stop following companies and lose interest. Don't just post jobs or content from the company. This can be overly promotional. In addition, share industry news, engage with followers by commenting or favoriting their tweets and even share appropriate, funny cartoons, memes or gifs related to the industry.
To create a robust Twitter presence, use multiple accounts -- the company's official Twitter handle, recruiters and current employees. Companies like IBM use separate recruiting accounts that solely focuses on building their employer brand and posting jobs.
Related: Job Recruiters Aren't Taking Advantage of Social Media in Their Search for Rockstar Hires
Train current employees to become brand ambassadors by providing them with social media tips. They can share their personal experiences with the company to their followers and highlight what makes their work meaningful, what they love about their employer and how they reached their current position.
The talent acquisition team should also perform some keyword research to create hashtags that earn a lot of reach. Use them strategically to improve traffic to the careers page, job postings, the company website and to promote upcoming events like live tweet chats. These events are great for expanding networks and connecting with followers with similar interests who can share their knowledge.
Employees should be the expert voices and moderate the live tweet chats on the subjects they're most knowledgeable about. The theme should center around a relevant topic, like a product or service the company offers or exciting industry news. Make sure to create a database of potential candidates and set times to follow up with them about exciting job opportunities that would fit them well.
Instagram.
Instagram users want an insider's view of the company. The visual element of this social media service is unique and provides a great opportunity for companies to give their brand a face and tell their story. Post pictures regularly to represent the culture and values of the company. Share short videos of team building events and celebrations.
Employees can participate by sharing a quick biography of themselves with a picture of them at work. Make sure to capture the fun environment to show the company's emphasis on being lighthearted and engaging.
To incorporate the consumer brand, host product launches and fun giveaways. This can attract customers and even give potential candidates insights into what the organization specializes in.
