Competition for talent is getting tougher, which is why companies are embracing the latest trends like social media recruiting. We break down how to use this correctly.
Social media recruiting or social recruiting is the use of social media platforms to identify and attract potential candidates for a job opening.
Thus, social recruiting has many advantages: It is fast, efficient and cost-effective. In addition, social media platforms offer companies the opportunity to connect with potential employees in a more casual environment.
But how does social recruiting actually work?
There are various ways to use social media for recruitment. However, the use depends largely on the platform in question. The most commonly used platforms for social recruiting are LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. And by taking a closer look at each platform, it's easier to understand how social recruiting actually works
Social recruiting offers several advantages over traditional recruiting methods.
First and foremost, social recruiting is fast and efficient. It allows companies to quickly and easily reach a large pool of potential candidates with just a few clicks.
In addition, most social media platforms offer companies the opportunity to connect with potential employees in a more casual setting. This can be a huge advantage when it comes to attracting top talent. That's because social media allows companies to build relationships with potential candidates before they even apply for a job.
Another advantage of social recruiting is that it's cost-effective. Traditional recruiting methods like posting jobs on job boards and attending career fairs can be expensive, but social recruiting requires little to no financial investment. Instead, all you need is an active social media presence and some time to invest in building relationships with potential candidates.
When done right, social recruiting can be an extremely effective way to attract top talent. However, there are a few things to keep in mind if you want to ensure success:
But are the advantages we put forward even true?
Well, let's talk numbers for a bit:
As an example, a study by CareerArc found that 96% of job seekers use social media to find jobs.
A study by LinkedIn underscores this first impression, even finding that 49% of professionals use social media to find out about job openings.
In addition, according to a study by Jobvite, 46% of companies said that investing in social media recruiting will be a focus in 2020 and beyond.
At jacando, we have asked ourselves the following question over the years: How is it possible to design a functioning social media recruiting strategy quickly and with little effort?
And this question gave rise to the following 5 steps:
But how do these steps play out?
The first step in any social recruiting strategy is to define what you expect from a new employee.
Once you have a clear idea of what kind of candidate you're looking for, you can begin to develop a plan for finding that person.
If you're not sure where to start, you can use social media monitoring tools like Hootsuite or Mention to track relevant conversations and identify potential candidates.
You can also set up Google Alerts for keywords related to the types of employees you want to attract.
After all, by taking more time to listen and learn more about each candidate, you'll be better able to target potential candidates in a meaningful way.
Once you know what you're looking for in a new employee, it's time to start thinking about where you can find them.
Social media is a great place to start your search, but it's important to consider which platforms will be most effective in reaching your target candidates.
LinkedIn is often considered the best platform for social recruiting, but other options like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can also be useful depending on your industry and the type of employees you want to target.
When choosing platforms, always consider where your ideal candidates spend their time online first. If you're not sure where to find them, try doing a quick search on each platform using relevant search terms, keywords and hashtags. This will give you a good idea of which platforms are most popular with the candidates you want to reach.
Once you've figured out which platforms to use, it's time to create content that will appeal to your target audience.
Keep in mind here that each platform has its own culture and tone, so tailor your content accordingly. For example, LinkedIn is generally considered a more professional platform, so your content should focus on topics like career development and industry news. On the other hand, platforms like Twitter and Instagram are more casual, so you can experiment with lighter content that still reflects your company's culture and values.
No matter which platforms you choose, remember that quality is always more important than quantity. It's better to have a small number of engaged followers than a large number of uninterested people. So don't be afraid to focus your efforts on the platforms that are most likely to reach your target audience.Ganz gleich, für welche Plattformen Sie sich entscheiden, denken Sie daran, dass Qualität immer wichtiger ist als Quantität. Es ist besser, eine kleine Anzahl engagierter Follower zu haben als eine große Anzahl uninteressierter Menschen. Scheuen Sie sich also nicht, Ihre Bemühungen auf die Plattformen zu konzentrieren, die Ihre Zielgruppe am ehesten erreichen.
Once you've figured out which platforms to use and what type of content to create, it's time to develop a social recruiting strategy. Of course, this should be an ongoing process that evolves over time. That's because as time goes on, you learn more and more about what works well and what doesn't.
However, there are some key components that any effective social recruiting strategy should include:
After you've implemented your social recruiting strategy, it's important to take a step back and evaluate how successful it has been. This means looking at the number of candidates you attracted, how many of those candidates applied for a job, and how many of them were hired.
It can also be helpful to look at the quality of the candidates you attract. Are they a good fit for your company? Do they have the skills and experience you're looking for? If not, you may need to adjust your strategy.
Evaluating the success of your social recruiting strategy will help you fine-tune your approach and ensure you're attracting the best talent to your organization.
With the following 3 KPIs, you can measure your results very reliably:
Zappos is an online store for clothing and shoes. As a company that is mindful of its external and internal image, Zappos has coined a term for its employees, Zapponians. For example, in the beginning, the company hired many employees through Twitter, using Twitter chat to connect and interact with potential candidates.
However, due to the change in user demographics, Zappo had to change this tactic and now uses Instagram. So they even launched the Instagram channel @zinternships to show what it's like to work at Zappos.
On @zinternships, Zappos transparently shares the experiences of most employees and the experiences of numerous interns. The entire account shows what it's like to be an intern at Zappos, encouraging everyone to apply.
In addition to Instagram, Zappos also uses YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook. All of these social media platforms are directly connected to the brand and enhance the employer brand.
McDonalds has been having problems recruiting new people for years, and the core of this problem is quite clear: Millennials do not perceive the company as an innovative employer.
And MC Donalds countered this problem with a social media recruiting strategy geared to its own target group. McDonald's was one of the first companies to combine the social medium Snapchat with employee recruitment.
Called Snaplications, this campaign allows people who want to work for McDonald's to upload a 30-second video resume that can be posted on the company's hiring portal.
Stephanie Hardman, chief people officer at McDonald's Canada, explains:
"We wanted to offer a convenient and flexible application process to attract more young people to our one-day virtual hiring event. The company chose Snapchat because in Canada, where Snapchat is used by 12 million people daily, more than 80% of users are Millennials."
Thus, the very target group that MC Donalds would also like to ostensibly address is cavorting on Snapchat.
This strategy has enabled the company to find and hire many high-quality applicants.
Well, if we convinced you of the need for a social recruiting strategy, you should start with our 5 steps and design one for your own company.
On the other hand, if you want to learn more about recruiting trends, you might like this article: Recruiting Trends 2022.
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