What’s used to connect family and friends is now used to connect even the corporate world. Job seekers use social media to look for career opportunities, while recruitment firms are starting to realize the potential of social media in an effective recruitment strategy. Hence, the modern recruitment strategy known as “social hiring” was born.
Here are the facts you need to know about social hiring and why you should care about it in the 21st century.
The rising millennial workforce means recruiters need to adapt.
Millennials are now the largest labor force, according to a 2015 study by Pew Research Center. This new breed of job seekers is not driven by the same motivations as the previous generations – like a huge paycheck or a pay raise. Economic changes and other various factors have influenced the mindset of millennials, who are less entitled and more practical than their parents when it comes to their careers.
This means recruiters will need to adapt their strategies based on the habits of this new generation to connect with them – and make them a potential employee.
Millennials are the most active social media users.
Perhaps the most notable characteristic of millennials is that they are the most active users of social media. While baby boomers and Gen Xers used to browse the classified ads of the newspaper to find jobs, millennials are more likely to scroll through their social media feeds instead.
In fact, 79% of job seekers are likely to use social media when looking for a new job. “Social hiring” is on the rise as an emerging recruitment strategy, and brands who already have an online presence are leveraging their following on social media to recruit more top talent for their team.
The same goes for individuals and businesses. Social media has become a marketing platform – a place where businesses and professionals alike can showcase their goods and expertise to the world, and in the process, expand their professional relationships. It has become the go-to place not only for socializing but for discovering just about anything.
Because of this, it’s crucial that HR managers and recruiters keep up with the latest trends in their industry and figure out how they can incorporate social media into their recruitment strategy.
Here’s how your business can get started on using social media to recruit top talent:
1. Set up a social media presence so talented millennials can find you.
The Philippines ranks 15th in the list of most Internet users in the world, with over 44 million Filipinos using social media on a daily basis. If you’re not engaging with this pool of potential leads, you’re missing out on huge opportunities for hiring top millennial talents.
If your company doesn’t have a Facebook account yet, set one up today. Fill up all the necessary details and contact information about your business, as well as the persona you want to project on social media.
Digital marketing expert Brian Hughes suggests recruiting talent even before they come looking for a job. Having a consistent brand across all your profiles on social media will help you with this and make you more attracting to the right talent.
A word of advice, though: Don’t put up a fun-loving façade if your company culture isn’t fun. Millennials value authenticity and transparency over eye-candy, which brings us to our next point.
2. Cultivate a company culture worth sharing on social media.
In a Forbes article, Robert Carter, CEO of Virtual Office, advised against using hip phrases to represent something that your company isn’t. While quirky offices and fun workplace cultures are all the craze in tech startups and most companies, that doesn’t mean all millennials are attracted to that.
Carter says millennials are made up of a wide variety of interests and preferences, but what’s common among them is that they hold authenticity in high regard.
If you want to take full advantage of social media in your recruitment efforts, then building a foundation of genuine branding and a company culture that’s worth sharing is a must.
3. Encourage your employees to be your brand ambassadors on social media.
According to statistics, only 33% of employers in 15 global markets encourage their employees to talk about their work in social media. That’s a wasted word-of-mouth marketing opportunity to utilize.
Having enthusiastic employees as “brand ambassadors” on social media makes you even more interesting for potential talents that are looking to be part of a great team.
Besides, a 2014 survey by Monster found that 65% of job seekers would consider applying for a job they learned from a personal connection. So when you have a job opening, encourage your employees to recruit through their accounts to help in your recruitment strategy.
4. Set up targeted ads on Facebook.
Facebook is like a general hub for all kinds of professionals, and more than 54% of recruiters use it to find fresh millennial talents for their companies.
You can set up cost-effective, targeted Facebook ads to make sure your social hiring efforts are reaching the right audiences. You can adjust several options to fine-tune results. For example, you can geo-target millennials living only in Makati who are interested in working in FMCG companies.
Takeaway
In a world where social media feeds have replaced newspapers, having a digital presence is now a necessity for brands looking for top millennial talent. Social media is a gold mine for job seekers and recruitment firms alike, and with the help of these tips, you can find the gem that perfectly fits your company.
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