Using Social Recruiting to Attract Top Talent

Every month 320 million people use Twitter, 300 million log on to Instagram, and almost 900 million use Facebook everyday. It’s pretty safe to say that at least a portion of those people are looking for a job. Recruiting top talent today is a completely different ballgame than it was just six or seven years ago. Finding the right person to fit into your company culture and someone that can fulfill the responsibilities of your open position is challenging for many companies, and not to mention quite time consuming and expensive.

Using social can help you attract the right type of candidate, and increases the chance that they understand who you are as a company way before they walk into their initial interview. Want proof? Studies show that “leveraging social media improves candidate quality by 44%”. Having that type of transparency is beneficial to both parties involved. You see a little of who they are before you meet them, and they can see what your organization stands for and a small peak into your corporate atmosphere. Now, understanding how to best market your company and accurately present available positions takes skill and knowledge of the various social platforms. Follow these steps to get off on the right foot, after all, the candidates are interviewing your company as well.

Enlist in the Help of Your Current Employees 

Instead of telling people how great it is to work at your company, why not show them? The best way to do this is by getting your current employees to express this for you on social media. Encourage your current workforce to use hashtags developed just for your organization, and allow them to post pics from office holiday parties or photos of their workspace. Always make these actions optional, but make it easy for employees to feel free to share by having an open, or more relaxed social media policy.

Potential candidates want to see your company culture before they ever step inside your lobby. If they like what they see online, they’re sure to like it once they arrive for an interview. Take photos of your newest office renovation or varying types of workspace hubs, and share them on your company’s Facebook and Twitter pages. If you have an awesome flexible working policy, show it off on social by sharing photos of employees working from remote locations. If your office is dog or kid friendly, be sure to periodically post photos of those furry friends on your company Facebook page. Make it easy for people to recognize that your company knows who it is, what you stand for, and where you see yourself going in the future.

Need Someone Specific? There’s a Group for That

LinkedIn Groups

Don’t forget about the power of Linkedin Groups in your search for the perfect new hire! There are many types of groups out there, from job listing groups categorized by industry to location and everything in between. Below are some of the more popular options we think facilities management teams would find useful, but feel free to do your own search to find out what works best for you. Also, keep an eye out for groups that have the “Jobs” tab open in their feed. This is where it is appropriate to post listings and links to more information.

• Careers & Jobs CRE & Facilities Management
• Job Postings Group
• Facility Management Jobs Worldwide
• FM Jobs
• Information Technology Jobs

Twitter Hashtags

This is a great way to help the job seekers find you. However, there is an art to the perfect hashtag. You don’t want it to be so specific that no one ever searches for it. However reaching too broad an audience with a general hashtag has the opposite effect, and you could get lost in the shuffle. Try searching for hashtags based on your geographical location, and possibly your industry. See what types of conversations are happening in that space. Find one that seems to be pretty active, and include it in your next post. You may be surprised that you reach a broader audience than if you just tweeted directly to your followers. Below are a few to try out, but feel free to experiment to find the best for your industry and office location.

• #FMJob
• #FacMan
• #CREJob
• #YourCityJobs
• #HiringYourCity

Don’t Wait Until The Position Is Vacant

It’s always better to be overly prepared than to be sorry, and the same is true when it comes to keeping your team running smoothly, by preparing for bumps in the road before you reach them. For instance, what happens when a key team player suddenly resigns? Hopefully, if you’ve played your cards right you have a few potential candidates in your mind you could reach out to. Be sure to always be connecting with others in your industry, or even just with people you enjoy working and communicating with. You’ll have a better idea of which people are looking for work and who is open to considering a new position. This way, you’ll also really know how someone behaves before you see their formal resume.

A candidate you have a relationship with beforehand will also will trust you more, and potential hires will have a better idea of what to expect from the role you’re offering and your company as a whole. Keep connected with people you meet at conferences, business meetings or just by meeting through LinkedIn Groups. You never know where your next star employee could be.

Have Money to Spend? Try LinkedIn Recruiter

If you don’t have much time to find someone, or you have been given a budget to find the best candidate out there, consider investing in LinkedIn’s recruiting tool. It’s quite cost effective, with plans starting at $300 for one job listing, and packages available if you are planning to recruit more than one new hire.

For the right person, many recruiters would agree it is completely worth it. LinkedIn lets you choose the title, location, level, industry and brief description of the opening. They also let you to select how you want people to apply, either through LinkedIn with an email notification to you or if you prefer them to be directed to an outside application site. The post will last 30 days, and LinkedIn will share the post to professionals that match your search criteria by sending them an email and in the news feed. You will also notice the listing will appear on your company page if you have one. The job listing is searchable in LinkedIn, and they guarantee at least 10 applications on your first post. And when you do find someone to interview, whether it’s through LinkedIn recruiter or someone you know personally be sure to ask them these 10 questions.

Your company is only as great as the people who work for it, which is why hiring the right people is imperative. Consider implementing these tips above, and you’ll be one step ahead next time you need to fill a position.