In the digital world we live in, social media has assumed an increasingly important role not only in our daily lives, but also in the world of work. 

The use of social media to search for and recruit talent has become known as ‘social recruitment’. In this article, we will explore what it is and how it can become an effective strategy for companies seeking to find the best talent on the labour market.

What is Social Recruitment?

Social recruitment is the process of using social media to recruit, select and hire new talent for a company. This innovative approach is based on the idea that social media can also offer a unique opportunity to connect with a wide range of potential candidates and identify those who best fit the requirements of a job position.

Can social media enter the recruiting process?

Absolutely yes, social media can play a key role in the recruitment process. With digitisation, platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have become powerful tools to connect companies with potential candidates and facilitate the recruitment process. Here are some ways in which they can effectively enter the recruiting process.

• Active candidate search: companies can use social media to actively search for potential candidates. Through the use of relevant hashtags or advanced search on platforms such as LinkedIn, it is possible to identify professionals who match the specific requirements of a given position.
• Employer branding: social media offers companies the opportunity to present themselves as attractive employers by sharing content that highlights company culture, employee initiatives, success stories and testimonials from those already working within the system. This helps to create a strong reputation and attract new talent that increases the value of the team.
• Job posting: through social media, job vacancies can be posted and shared directly on one’s own company page or through industry groups. This increases the visibility of open positions and attracts interested candidates who follow the company or are members of these communities.
• Candidate screening: recruiters can assess candidates by examining their social media profiles. This provides a great opportunity to obtain additional information about a candidate’s personality, skills, experience and suitability based on activities and content shared online.
• Engagement and interaction: social channels allow companies to establish direct contact with candidates. They can answer candidates’ questions, provide additional information about positions, conduct preliminary interviews via private messages or organise online recruiting events.
• Employee feedback: you can use social media to collect feedback from your employees, create testimonials or share success stories. This can help build trust with the end consumer but also with other potential talent to hire. 
• Reduced recruitment costs: the exceptional return on investment (ROI) achieved through successful recruitment via social networking platforms makes this approach extremely cost-effective and much easier to manage.

The use of social media in the recruitment process requires careful and responsible management. Companies must be aware of privacy regulations and make sure to conduct thorough research on candidates to avoid any kind of discrimination.

Furthermore, it is crucial to maintain a consistent and professional image on all social platforms to ensure a good corporate reputation.

What is meant by digital recruitment?

The term ‘digital recruitment’ refers to the process of recruiting and selecting candidates using digital tools and technologies. It is a modern and innovative approach that uses social channels and various technological resources to:

• Reach a wider audience
• Simplify the recruitment process 
• Improve the overall efficiency of the recruitment process

Digital recruitment involves the use of various online platforms and tools, including job listing websites, social media, online recruiting platforms, application tracking systems and other solutions. 

These tools enable companies to: 

• Reach more potential target candidates
• Optimise screening processes 
• Simplify application management.

Social media useful for the selection process

With over 2.19 billion active users on Facebook alone, it is likely that your ideal candidates are already active on this platform. LinkedIn is particularly popular with job seekers in the millennial and Generation X demographics, while Twitter is known for its job search chats.

Given the vast reach of social media, it is not surprising that it has become a platform of choice for recruiters looking to increase job visibility and attract quality talent. 

LinkedIn 

It is the professional social network par excellence! It is widely used for recruitment purposes. Companies can post job offers, search for potential candidates, review professional profiles and make connections with professionals from various industries. The platform also offers features such as LinkedIn Recruiter, which helps recruiters manage and filter candidates efficiently.

It is definitely the most recommended social networking site for both companies recruiting and professionals looking for new job opportunities. In addition to having a specific search engine for job positions and posted advertisements, LinkedIn also allows you to create your own online CV and get references from those you have worked with in the past or still work with today. 

In addition, it is a great way to share any work and professional achievements. Using it in the best possible way gives companies an insight into the candidate’s personality, opinions, values, language property, etc. At the same time, professional jobseekers have the opportunity to immediately get more information about the company and begin to assess whether the job opportunity is in line with their goals and values. 

Facebook 

It can be used to reach a wide and diverse audience. Companies can create a company page on Facebook to share job offers, promote employer branding, engage potential candidates by posting content and answer candidates’ questions via private messages.

Surely, however, the best role Facebook takes when it comes to jobs is through the power of communities. Thanks to groups, it is possible to get in touch with many potential candidates who are on target with one’s needs and to post contextually coherent job advertisements. 

This facilitates selection screening and reduces the risk of coming across a long selection of unsuitable CVs. 

Instagram

Although it may seem the least suitable platform for this purpose, Instagram can also play a relevant role. Firstly, because more and more professionals are deciding to create business pages focused on their own activity. 

This allows the hr to get to know the candidate and get an idea of his or her suitability. Moreover, as it is still the most used social network by the average user, it is perfect for sponsoring job advertisements that redirect to special websites and landing pages where one can upload one’s application. 

Compared to other platforms, social networks offer an unparalleled opportunity to identify and interact with a large talent pool, making it a valuable resource for any recruitment strategy.

How to leverage social to strengthen your personal brand

Before applying, 75 per cent of prospects check a company’s reputation and brand according to LinkedIn data. Establishing an attractive profile on social media can significantly enhance your brand, amplify your company’s visibility, credibility and culture. 

Here are some tips suitable for both executives and professionals seeking new partnerships.

• Identify your niche: identify the area of expertise in which you want to build your reputation and focus on it. Define your field of specialisation and create relevant and valuable content for that area. Be authentic and share your expertise, opinions and ideas consistently.
• Choose the right platforms: not all platforms are the same and/or suitable for different targets. For example, LinkedIn is particularly geared towards professional networking, while Instagram might be more suitable for sharing visual content. Focus on platforms that appeal to your audience and offer the most suitable tools to promote your brand.
• Create a professional profile: your social profiles should reflect your professionalism. Use suitable profile images and write an accurate biography that highlights your skills and experience. Use relevant keywords to facilitate discovery by those you wish to connect with.
• Share valuable content: Create and share content that is useful, informative and relevant to your target audience. You can write articles, share posts or videos, participate in discussions or share interesting news and resources. Provide solutions, tips and ideas that demonstrate your knowledge and value in your field.
• Interact and participate in conversations: be proactive in interacting with your audience. Respond to comments, participate in discussions, ask questions and answer those that are asked. This will help you create meaningful relationships, showcase your expertise and build a perceived reputation as a trusted resource in your industry.
• Maintain consistency and authenticity: be consistent in the tone, style and values you convey through your channels. Be authentic and transparent in the way you communicate. Build your reputation on your unique point of view because you cannot please everyone and you should choose upstream who you really want to please. 
• Monitor and measure results: use social media analysis tools to monitor metrics and evaluate the impact of your personal branding activities. Observe which content generates the most engagement, which interactions lead to new opportunities and adapt your strategy accordingly on a case-by-case basis. 
• Turn employees into brand ambassadors: Social Media Today states that employee-generated content gains eight times more interactions than content shared through brand channels. In addition, a LinkedIn Employer Brand statistical report states that this is because candidates are three times more likely to trust employees, with whom they can easily develop empathy, than employers.

Social networks provide valuable information about a candidate’s personality and qualities. 

This approach allows them to expand to a larger pool of potential candidates, making it easier to make connections. Since millennials and Generation Z represent a substantial part of today’s workforce, social media recruitment greatly benefits recruiters.

However, successful digital recruitment requires a well-designed strategy: if you do it this way, the recruitment process will run smoothly and with optimal results.

Want to find out how to design the perfect recruitment strategy via social? 

Contact us, our team is at your disposal to help you find the best professionals while optimising recruitment time and costs.