The biggest friend you have right now in recruitment is social media

It’s no exaggeration to say that social media has changed the world. It has changed the way we communicate, the way we govern and are governed, the way we do business, the way we respond to disasters. And, of course, it has changed the way we find and attract new talent.

In fact, of all the changes to have swept over the recruitment landscape in the past decade, social media has had the most significant impact. So, if you’re not already using social media to boost your recruitment efforts, then you’ve got some serious catching up to do!

That statement is probably more true now than ever before.

As we enter what feels like the 1,000th month of the coronavirus pandemic, there has been no better time for businesses to engage with candidates on social media.

This is the time to refine, test and create a robust social recruitment strategy that can be used in the long run. This is the time to prepare your social recruitment campaigns to work like flippin’ rock stars. Why?

• The average UK employee spends 13 hours browsing social media during the working week
• 79% of job seekers are using social media as part of their search
• 15% of candidates use social media exclusively
• 59% of employees say a company’s social media presence was part of the reason they chose their workplace
• 69% of all candidates will spend between two and four hours researching a business online before applying for a role
• 20% of employers have reported reduced hiring time through social media

This health crisis has forced us to spend a huge chunk of our lives online. Countless Zoom quizzes, spending way too much money on Amazon, the rush to get a click & collect slot, adapting to remote working. And, let’s admit it, the ungodly number of hours we’ve all spent watching Netflix (thank you, Tiger King).

Our tech usage has gone through the roof, which means there has never been a better opportunity to engage both future candidates and current employees on social platforms.

So, how can you use social media to your advantage during these crazy times?

Engage both active AND passive candidates: The likes of LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - you get the picture - allow you to tap into candidates before they become super active on job boards. Particularly generations Y and Z, who have been hit the hardest by redundancies this year, and are very active on social.

Reinforce positive brand stories: Social recruitment campaigns give you the opportunity to increase brand awareness and reinforce positive and successful COVID-19 stories, to educate candidates and drive applications.

Repetition, repetition, repetition: We all know that repetition equals successful communication! Social media gives you the opportunity to introduce remarketing and evergreen strategies in order to reach candidates who have already engaged with your brand, but not applied, encouraging them to return.

Celebrate your company culture: You may not be in an office right now, but you can still showcase your values, unique culture and the people who make your business what it is. Social media is an effective way for organisations to shout about who they are, how they treat their people and what makes them bloody fantastic.

Cost-effective communication: One of the enormous advantages of social media is the opportunity to reach a vast audience for a relatively low cost. It is a cost-effective way to tap into the passive candidate market, targeting people who aren’t necessarily looking for a new role as well as active searchers.

You’ve heard the phrase “be where your candidates are”. And that’s exactly what you should be doing. Engagement becomes much easier when you’re communicating with and educating your potential candidates on platforms where they already interact. Social recruitment is a powerful tool for employers - and one that you should be used to its fullest potential.

Let's talk more about social media and how you can use it to boost your recruitment efforts. Connect with me on LinkedIn.