One of the unique things about our firm is our "Family First" value. In certain situations, we are willing to accommodate a part time HR consulting resource if it meets our business and candidate's needs. So, there was a time we were challenged with finding the right resource for a Consultant job opening. Our Managing Director opted to share the job in a local Facebook Moms group and was able to find the successful candidate there. She was interested in the part-time option and felt like the flexibility would be ideal for her to re-enter the workforce after raising two kids. We don't necessarily market jobs like this all the time, but for where we were in the firm's growth at the time, posting the job in a local Facebook group was perfect for what we needed.
Hiring easy is a myth. Anyone who says they don't face hiring issues is straight lying or a walking LinkedIn. At my company, we are constantly struggling to find great talent, and social media is a Big, with a capital "B," help. Why? Think about the good old days when talent gets hired chiefly offline. You practically bump into people and direct them in the right direction. It's more or less a matter of chance that things might work for you. But today, we can post them on social media and get hundreds of applications. So, the number of applications is not an issue. If you think that's where things end, you are wrong. This is where it gets started. Recruiters can spend much time finding the right match and waste time. So here are some handy tips on how you can utilize Social Media for your benefit. I see it in three ways: 1) Numbers, 2) Social Proof, and 3) Egerness. I have already talked about how you can hit high numbers of applications. Social media itself is a social proof of applicants' background, like courses in college or work experience. Anyone who has taken online courses and put them up on social media gets my notice. Looking at the recent social media activity is a great way to access the eagerness of someone passionate about the job. A profile that shares recent updates in their field is a great place to go for an interview. These days, Social Media Platforms provide filters to screen candidates based on Social Proof and Egerness. Which saves a lot of time to reach the right candidate. I would also like to add that hiring is a two-way process. Maintaining a good social media presence for your company helps you achieve your goals faster.
In one of my previous roles, I was tasked with leveraging social media for recruitment purposes. Our goal was to attract a diverse range of high-quality candidates for a series of tech-related positions. We decided to utilize LinkedIn and Twitter, given their professional user base and widespread use in our industry. The strategy involved a mix of targeted content creation and active engagement. On LinkedIn, we created posts that highlighted our company culture, employee testimonials, and detailed job descriptions with clear calls to action. These posts were not only informative but also aimed to capture the essence of working at our company, showcasing our supportive and dynamic work environment. On Twitter, we engaged directly with potential candidates by participating in relevant industry discussions and using targeted hashtags. We also hosted a series of Twitter Q&A sessions where our existing employees shared their experiences and answered questions about their roles and the company culture. This approach helped humanize our brand and made potential candidates more comfortable with the idea of reaching out and applying. The results were impressive. We saw a significant increase in the number of quality applications, and many candidates mentioned our social media content as a key factor in their decision to apply. This experience reinforced the importance of using social media not just to advertise positions, but to build a narrative around the company culture and actively engage with potential candidates, making the recruitment process more personal and effective.
When I made the conscious decision early in 2023 to focus on TikTok and Instagram growth, I knew it would change my life in several ways. One of these ways, I predicted, would be access to great talent. I make short-form mobile videos about marketing and business, using myself and my face in every video. This makes me somebody that talent wants to align with. I just passed 70,000 followers on TikTok (@build_in_public) and am nearing 20,000 followers on Instagram (@edward.builds). My videos have inspired, taught, and motivated hundreds of thousands or millions of people. As a result of this, every day, I have talent messaging me, asking if they can work for me for free, get mentored by me, start a business with me, be my employee, or even invest in my businesses. I've also taken people up on their offers. People who once started as fans of mine are now colleagues and employees. These people are self-motivated, smart, and hard-working. One of my favorite things is that if I ever need an expert or employee in a specific domain, I can usually just ask about it on my podcast (which I drive traffic to through TikTok and Instagram) and get a referral. So, because I've focused on social media, my access to talent has been tremendous.
At SmashBrand we ask our employees to share the posts we make about available positions. This creates interest from those within their network, making it more likely that we will find the right candidate for our position. So if you are going to post about potential positions, make certain your team helps you spread awareness as it is their communities that make the best fit.
We have successfully utilized social media contests related to our job openings to engage potential candidates and generate interest. For example, we recently ran a contest where participants were required to submit a creative video explaining why they would be a great fit for the role. The contest received a huge response, with many applicants sharing their entries on their own social media profiles. This not only created a buzz around our job openings but also extended our reach to a wider audience. As a result, we attracted highly enthusiastic and talented candidates who were excited about the opportunity. The use of contests in social media recruitment adds an element of excitement and engagement, setting our recruitment strategy apart from traditional approaches. Plus, it allows us to showcase the fun and dynamic culture of our company, making it more appealing to potential candidates.
We brought in top technology experts with the help of LinkedIn. I analysed industry trends, created engaging posts highlighting company culture and employee experiences, and targeted hashtags like #devlife and #remotejobs. I also used advanced search to identify qualified candidates and proactively reached out with personal messages mentioning their relevant skills and projects. This strategy resulted in a 30% increase in qualified candidates compared to traditional recruitment agencies, proving the power of social media to attract passive candidates and build a strong employer brand.
I have limited experience in recruitment but the few times I've done it on behalf of my employer, it's been very successful in finding the right candidate quickly. My secret is an upfront discussion of the expected compensation vs the budget for the specific role. I don't think it's a conversation to have later on - setting the expectations straight early on, through an informal chat, saves time and effort on both sides. Through a free LinkedIn job listing we got 35 applicants. 5 of those were a good fit, but 2 were immediately filtered out based on a 5-minute discussion of their salary expectations. We invited the 3 remaining candidates for 2 rounds of interviews and had our top choice hired within 2 weeks. Social media is just the enabler of such an interaction, what's more important is whether recruiters feel confident in reversing the hiring process to make it more efficient.
Running social media contests or challenges related to the company or job roles can engage potential candidates and create buzz. For example, a software development company can host a coding challenge where participants showcase their skills. This approach increases brand visibility, attracts talented individuals, and encourages them to apply for job openings.
Hosting an AMA session on relevant subreddits allows potential candidates to ask questions directly to company representatives. This interactive approach helps build trust and transparency, while also providing an opportunity to promote job openings. For example, in a recent Reddit AMA, our company's HR team answered questions about our work culture, career growth opportunities, and the hiring process. This allowed candidates to get a personalized response and gain deeper insights into our company. By showcasing our commitment to open communication and addressing any potential concerns, we attracted highly engaged candidates who felt connected to our company values. This approach sets us apart by offering a unique platform for interaction and fostering a strong employer brand.
We use Social Media to recruit sales staff for our brick and mortar stores. Being a supplement retailer I'd say were perceived as a fun industry and were an industry a lot of people are passionate about and interested in working in ie a young guy into fitness and working out is probably going to be more excited about working at a supplement store, getting to try free product and getting to talk fitness and supplements over say stocking shelves at a grocery store so social media is an effective place for us to recruit from. We also encourage our store staff to create social media content as well which also makes it a great place to recruit from.
At Startup House, we believe in the power of social media for effective recruitment. One example of how we've utilized social media is by creating engaging and informative content on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter. We share updates about our company culture, showcase our team's achievements, and provide valuable insights into the software development industry. By doing so, we attract talented individuals who resonate with our values and vision. Additionally, we actively participate in relevant online communities and groups, where we connect with potential candidates and build relationships. This approach has helped us not only find skilled professionals but also create a strong online presence that attracts top talent.