5 Steps for Recruiting Candidates on Social Media

For some employers, social media platforms have gone from third-string benchwarmers to key players in the recruitment lineup.

These platforms help companies diversify their hiring efforts, build employer brand, and most importantly, recruit new employees. Emy Yamauchi-Wong, manager at Altres Staffing, offers tried-and-true methods for social media recruiting.

1. Be selective about your social media platforms

More isn’t better: Not every platform is right for every business and chances are, you don’t have time to manage a half-dozen social media accounts. Start with a platform that makes the most sense for your business. Then evaluate how well you can support it before branching out.

2. Promote your employer brand with meaningful content

Unless job seekers know someone at your company, they don’t know what life is like inside your walls. That’s why having a good reputation as an employer is important. Share meaningful content that relates to company culture, perks, awards and milestones.

3. Take advantage of job posting tools

LinkedIn and Facebook have built-in job posting tools that make it easy to connect with job seekers. You can post jobs, manage applications and follow up with candidates all within these platforms. They also have paid options to target audiences based on locations, job titles, experience and more. You also get analytics about how your job post is performing.

4. Enlist employees to be brand advocates

Content shared by employee advocates performs 24 times better than content shared by company brands. Round out social media recruiting efforts by looping in existing employees – ideally those who are well-trusted and well-connected. Encourage employees to share posts and like or follow your company page. 

5. Engage with your followers

Engagement is critical on social media. Always respond to applicants who apply to your jobs, like comments from followers, comment or share business-related posts, and tag others when appropriate.

In the competition for top talent, social media provides companies a viable pipeline of future workers. Assume that everything you post to social media has an underlying recruiting message or purpose. You never know what aspect of your company will hit home with a prospective employee.