by Julia Purcell, Senior Marketing Executive, Sigmar Recruitment
Social media plays a big part in our lives today. We use it to connect with friends, receive news updates and to interact with people and groups who share our interests and passions. It’s no surprise that more and more job seekers are using social media in their hunt for suitable positions. Why then should employers be any different?
The most important thing is that candidates want to interact with people, not a faceless brand or company. It’s vital that you build rapport with your connections. This can be done by providing links to quality content, interacting with them and answering any queries they have about the company or specific roles within it. It also enables anyone interested in working with you to learn about what you do and your ethos and culture as a company.
While you do need to adjust your approach to attracting candidates according to which social media platform you’re using, there are some common elements that can be utilised across all channels. This article focuses on the three social media platforms that are mainly used for recruitment; LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
LinkedIn is the number one social media tool utilised by employers and jobseekers alike as it is a platform that connects professionals to each other and to businesses.
Ensure that your company’s profile is attractive and optimised with key words so people can find you easily. Any vacancy listed on your profile should include links to further information such as the job spec, skills required, company description and how to apply. While it is obviously important to have your company page optimised, it’s also a really good idea to encourage current employees to bring their own profiles up to date. If people are interested in joining a company they often like to hear what people currently working there have to say about it.
Facebook is the most personal of the social media platforms allowing you to showcase the ‘human side’ of your organisation. Photos and videos of staff outings and events can help to portray your company as a positive, fun environment in which to work.
Again you should include a link providing further relevant information. Something as simple as including a ‘job listings’ tab on your company’s page can lead to a significantly increased candidate pool.
You can target potential candidates with Facebook ads. The ad feature on Facebook allows you to aim ads at a very specific audience through the use of filters such as education and work experience.
Twitter may not be the first place you’d think of when looking to attract candidates, but there’s no doubt it can serve as a very useful recruitment tool. With its 140 character limit, it’s all about making an instant impact. Be aware of topical issues and areas of interest for suitable candidates. Create tweets around these areas and use the appropriate hashtags to attract the right people. Include links in your tweets to relevant content on your blog and website.
Follow the right people and chances are they will follow you back. Comment on their tweets and always reply if they contact you. This helps to cement the relationship.
A really great function of Twitter is that it allows you to group people together in different lists. Generate twitter lists of individuals that may be suitable for different roles. You can then focus on targeting them with tweets tailored to their interests.
Social media has the ability to foster relationships with people who could be great employees for you. If you put the effort into developing your platforms, the rewards can be great.
About the author
Julia plays a key role in the marketing and branding of Sigmar Recruitment and is responsible for Sigmar’s communications activities. She has successfully project managed the following events; Talent Summit 2017 and National Employment Week 2016 – Ireland’s largest HR conference. Julia is also a regular media contributor, writing regular blogs and features.
