Social recruiting is using social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to discover and woo new talent. But social recruiting is more than tweeting, “We’re hiring!” Here’s a look at five common social recruiting mistakes (and how to fix them):
Underplaying your career page: The No. 1 destination for job seekers should be your website’s career page. If your company were a department store, the career page would be the display that entices shoppers (job seekers) to step inside. Social networks come second to your career page because it’s the single best place to share your brand.
Neglecting your employment brand: The highest level of social recruiting is employment brand. Your brand appeals to more than job seekers; it tells the world your purpose. The best way to express your brand is through shareable content: employee stories and video testimonials. Authentic content begs for interaction on social platforms.
Failing to have a dedicated social manager: Without a person dedicated to social media, how can you be sure job seekers are treated as customers? A dedicated social manager can keep interaction consistent and customer service flowing.
Jumping into social without a strategy: Many organizations jump on the next hot social platform because they fear getting left behind, but the first step to social recruiting success actually is: slow down! Conduct a social media audit and develop an action plan. Get a committed social manager, set a content calendar and watch your audience.
Forgetting to measure activity: Hopefully, you’ve got an action plan (see No. 4) that guides social recruiting efforts. But if you don’t have measurements for your activity, you don’t know if you’re going forward. The four key metrics are:
- Reach
- Engagement
- Amplification
- Conversion
The short story is your brand is the backbone of social recruiting. A strong brand and lively online presence attract exceptional candidates.
— Erin Van Handel is marketing coordinator at New Berlin-based HNI. For an extended version of this column, check out HNI’s blog.
