The most imaginative social recruitment goes far beyond using LinkedIn for job postings and contacting candidates. Is your social media recruitment strategy attracting the best candidates, or is it just a stream of ignored job postings?
The competition for talent is increasing on both sides of the Atlantic, so what can you do to stand out?
Are you targeting the right people on the right platforms?
Creating personas isn’t just for marketing to your customers. If you want to get the right message in front of the right people, you need to analyse the social media habits of your ideal employees.
Which channel are they most likely to be found on? LinkedIn tends to be the go-to choice for recruitment, but in the UK its users are heavily skewed towards those over 25 and earning over £50,000. So for entry and mid-level roles, you might want to focus more on Facebook, Twitter or even Instagram.
Research shows that Facebook is the top converter for job applications, followed by LinkedIn and Twitter.
Your company’s sector and the kind of roles available need to be considered. If you’re a lifestyle or fashion brand or you recruit for visually-oriented roles like designers or photographers, Instagram or Pinterest might be more relevant.
Should you have separate careers channels?
Many major businesses use separate social accounts for recruitment but this isn’t necessarily appropriate for every employer. Overstretching yourself and ending up with dormant careers accounts gives a poor impression to potential candidates. These three questions can help clarify whether the extra investment is worth it:
- Is there the resource to create and execute a separate social plan?
- Is there enough historical interest from job seekers on this channel to justify spend?
- Could this social media recruitment strategy integrate with existing channels?
What are you showcasing?
To get the most of social media recruitment you need to do more than simply post job updates. You need to give top candidates a clear idea of why they want to work with you. Achievement, working collaboratively and recognition are the top three factors that make employees feel good about their jobs, so ensure that you showcase how this works in your company.
If your business positions itself as top for career progression, diversity or thought leadership, demonstrate this. Sustained evidence on social media is far more convincing than a few lines on your website, and can engage candidates before they’re even actively looking for a job.
How are some of the world’s biggest brands doing this?
- Workplace Culture
Nestlé’s UK careers Facebook page effectively presents the company as being a fun and engaging place to work, as well as highlighting job opportunities.
On the less serious side, they post photos from fun moments of office life, including their Christmas jumper day and team members doing the After Eight challenge where people try and balance the mint chocolate on their face.
They demonstrate how it’s a desirable company for ambitious employees at all levels by showcasing employee achievement through a video with the City of York Young Apprentice of the year and having a director participate in the government’s Your Life maths and science campaign.
Potential candidates who are interested in food and drink but not looking for a job right now are targeted through posts about chocolate, coffee and recipes, and invited to follow their Pinterest account.
- Diversity
Accenture UK’s Facebook page showcases their commitment to diversity, highlighting their Inspiring Women event, celebration of Black History month and events held by the Accenture LGBT & Allies network.
On a post mentioning the success of their Pioneer recruitment campaign, they featured people from a range of ethnicities.
- Thought Leadership
LinkedIn isn’t just for job adverts and finding candidates. Its publishing platform allows individuals within companies to demonstrate thought leadership in a niche, with popular posts going out to LinkedIn users.
When combined with active participation in groups, you’re marketing your company to some of the most engaged professionals out there.
