Social media can be used in three primary ways when recruiting:
• Posting available jobs. Jobs can be posted in LinkedIn “groups” of linked to from “tweets” posted to Twitter.
• “Trolling” for potential candidates. By becoming actively involved with social networking sites, recruiters can make contact with people who may not necessarily be actively seeking a job. Or, contacts may be made with former colleagues and acquaintances who may be considering a new job or have the types of skills your company is looking for.
• “Checking out” applicants/interviewees. The Internet makes it easy to find information about applicants to augment the traditional reference-checking process.
• Sites like LinkedIn also provide an opportunity to see what others may have said about others through “recommendations.”
Because of the “low cost of entry” — there are no out-of-pocket costs associated with social media recruitment efforts — and constant media buzz about the popular sites, many companies are considering how they might turn to social media for everything from recruitment to marketing.
Time is money, of course. Some of the “fear” surrounding the use of social media is the time that may be required — or diverted — to learn about and “play with” these tools. Consequently, those considering this option should develop a strategy for their activities to avoid being overcome by the overwhelming amount of information and options available through these sites. Know what you hope to get out of social media from a recruitment standpoint and develop methods of tracking results. It may not be right for all organizations, of course. The key determinant will be the types of candidates you’re looking for. But the proliferation of groups on sites likeLinkedIn suggest that there is literally “something for everyone” in the social media space.
Another important point — even if you’re not currently recruiting or not currently sure that social media holds value for you in terms of recruitment, it doesn’t hurt to start “dabbling” in the social media environment. In social media, it’s all about building community — a community that can help to spread the word and serve as ambassadors for your organization. Just getting out there and experimenting to learn more about the options and to begin making connections can be a good place to start.
A SHRM poll indicated that the use of social media sites for recruitment is on the upswing — respondents identified a number of benefits driving them to use these sites.
Patty DeDominic is a former professional recruiter who built, ran, and then sold a multimillion dollar staffing firm. DeDominic posted a CEO position for an international organization on LinkedIn and received “quite a few qualified candidate referrals.” She offers the following tips for recruiting based on her experience:
• Use every means possible to communicate your need to a wide audience, including: social media, online job boards, professional organizations, certification bodies, and educational/alumni associations.
• Referrals are like gold and people love helping others become more successful. Tap into these via the social networks and the people who love to connect and share resources.
• People involved in social networks know who the leaders are. With a few questions to a few active people, you can usually find the connectors and the leaders of the networks.
• People who have spent years building their skills and professional reputations do things to stand out in the crowd; they write and publish their findings and often their opinions. Their reputations and “networks” tell more about them than you can learn in five interviews.
Table 1: Benefits of Social Media for Hiring
4. Developing Your Recruitment Ad
Your employment ad should cover four areas: the type of person you are looking for, pay, benefits, and where and how to apply. You also need to be aware of equal opportunity requirements (in the United States) or human rights legislation (in Canada).
A common question when developing recruitment ads is whether or not to include your company name in the advertisement. While blind ads (those where the name of the company is not revealed) are commonly used, the consensus is that open ads draw more, and better, candidates for job openings. There are a few reasons for this:
• Blind ads rarely draw responses from people who are currently employed.
• Many people will not answer blind ads for a variety of reasons, so your response is dramatically decreased.
• Your company misses out on some public relations opportunities when you choose to use a blind ad, particularly if new positions are being created. You will help yourself in the long run by letting people know who you are.
If blind ads are so bad, why are they used so frequently? One reason is that the company is looking outside for employees and does not want its current employees to know. Another (hopefully not one you have to worry about) is that the company does not have a good reputation and potential applicants would be scared off if its name were used.
A common mistake that is made when running recruitment ads is to oversell the position. You are anxious to find someone to fill a position so you naturally want to make the job sound as attractive as possible. Misrepresenting the position will only create problems — and waste time — later. Candidates may resent finding out at an interview that the job is not quite as attractive as it sounded in the ad. Or after accepting the position, they may become disillusioned and leave, putting you right back in the same position again.
Include in the advertisement information about any specific requirements or idiosyncrasies of the position that might create concern. For instance, is evening or weekend work required? Is overtime required? Travel?
The more accurately you can present the job and its requirements, the more appropriate you will find the résumés you receive. Your job of filling the position will be made easier and you will avoid frustrating yourself and the job seekers you’ll be dealing with.
4.1 The four elements of your recruitment ad
4.1a The type of person you are looking for
If you are not clear and specific in your ad about the qualifications you expect applicants to have, you are going to be disappointed when résumés start coming in. Clearly stating the qualifications you’re looking for minimizes the number of unsuitable résumés and applications and makes choosing interviewees much more manageable. Your ad should indicate:
• Specific job skills required
• Experience and background required
• Educational requirements
• Travel or relocation requirements
• Whether or not training will be provided
When stating these requirements, be particularly careful to avoid the excessive use of empty adjectives like “dynamic” or “creative.” Be precise and realistic. Don’t exaggerate the qualifications or responsibilities of the position.
