Social media is ubiquitous in our lives and dramatically impacts how we communicate, network, and work. The impact of social media is evident in the recruitment world too, as it is an indispensable tool for talent acquisition and a critical component of a comprehensive recruitment strategy. 

Utilising social media channels to find, attract, and engage with potential candidates involves creating and managing social media accounts, building relationships with potential candidates, and leveraging the connections of your own network. It is a viable way to quickly identify the right candidates for job openings and get their attention. It also helps to create a more engaging recruitment process and can be used to promote job openings and attract more candidates. To scale your recruitment agency, hiring the right pool of talent who can work towards your growth goals is very important.  

Why is recruiting through social media channels so prominent? 

Here is some recent data that demonstrates the importance of recruiting through social media channels.  

  • 73% of millennials (18-34 age group) found their last position through a social media platform. (CareerProfiles) 
  • 80% of employers say social recruiting helps them find passive candidates. (Betterteam) 
  • 79% of job applicants use social media in their job search. (Glassdoor) 

Let’s find out why-  

Wider Reach: Social media platforms have billions of users worldwide, allowing organizations to reach a larger and more diverse pool of potential candidates. This is especially important in a tight job market, where competition for top talent is fierce. 

Cost-Effective: Social media recruiting is cost-effective compared to traditional recruitment methods such as job boards and recruitment agencies. Organizations can reach a large number of potential candidates without incurring high costs. 

Employer Branding: Social media platforms offer a unique opportunity for organizations to build and promote their employer brand. By sharing company culture, values, and employee success stories, organizations can attract top talent and showcase why they are a great place to work. 

Passive Candidates: Social media platforms are a valuable tool for headhunting candidates who may not be actively searching for a job. By sharing job opportunities and engaging with potential candidates, organizations can attract and connect with these passive candidates. 

Real-Time Engagement: Social media platforms offer real-time engagement with potential candidates, enabling organizations to respond to questions and provide updates quickly. This can help build trust and credibility with potential candidates, making them more likely to consider your organization when searching for a job. 

Analytics and Metrics: Social media platforms offer robust analytics and metrics, allowing organizations to track the success of their social media recruiting efforts. By tracking metrics such as job posting views, engagement rates, and candidate conversions, organizations can continually improve their approach and maximize their results. 

Looking to market your recruitment business? Here is our latest guide to recruitment agency marketing to help your recruitment agency stand out in this competitive space.

With the average user aged between 16-64 having 7 social media profiles and 98% having at least one, it’s a vital hub of talent to be utilizing.  

Here is an in-depth guide with expert tips on how to utilize the most common social media channels for recruiting.  

#1 How to use LinkedIn effectively 

If you’re posting your jobs on LinkedIn as ads, rather than posting them as an update or only sending an InMail, you need to ensure that you choose the right level of targeting. 

With most candidates finding a job through the ‘related’ jobs section, it’s vital that your job ads are designed to find the right candidate.
By testing the four different targeting areas of Title, Job Function, Skills and Groups, you can find out how successful each is at reaching your desired audience.  

To use LinkedIn effectively, here is the checklist you can begin with:  

  • Optimize your company page – Make sure your company page is up to date and optimized. This will help to create a professional image and show potential candidates that you take your recruiting seriously. 
  • Create a career page – Create a career page on your company page to highlight your job openings and attract more potential candidates. 
  • Use the right keywords – Make sure to use the right keywords in your job postings. This will help to make sure your job postings show up in search results and attract more candidates. 
  • Reach out to potential candidates – Reach out to potential candidates directly and let them know about job openings. This will help to quickly identify qualified candidates and build relationships with them. 
  • Leverage LinkedIn Groups – Join relevant LinkedIn Groups and share job postings to reach a wider audience. 

Quick wins for LinkedIn: 

  • Use it to share thought-leadership articles/videos
  • Share slides/tips with your connections regularly 
  • Stay in touch with candidates by giving them value-adding content 
  • Make the subject line of your InMails personal & target pain points 

Whilst you focus on streamlining your recruitment strategy and utilise social media channels to their fullest capacity, Sonovate can help you with flexible invoice financing and back-office solutions that are industry-tailored and designed to meet your business-specific needs.  

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Let’s have a look at how recruitment agencies can leverage other social media channels as part of their hiring strategy.  

#2 Using Facebook in Recruitment 

Whereas Facebook is considered a personal rather than professional social network, it can be useful for locating potential talent that you might otherwise struggle to find. With more users than any other network and good search capabilities, it’s a useful place to start. Instead of searching names, you can search by job title and location. 

If you have a company page without much of a following, it’ll prove difficult to reach people with your job posts unless you pay to promote these through ads. You can build a following by sharing regular content, running competitions and always getting your candidates/clients to leave reviews and like/share your page. 

Whilst you should be using Facebook to search and vet candidates, you can also post and be involved in local groups. By interacting with these groups and contributing, you’ll be far more likely to open a conversation with potential candidates.  

Here is a quick checklist: 

  • Create a dedicated page – Create a dedicated page to showcase your job openings and attract more potential candidates. 
  • Use the right keywords – Make sure to use the right keywords in your job postings. This will help to make sure your job postings show up in search results and attract more candidates. 
  • Leverage Facebook Ads – Use Facebook Ads to reach a wider audience of potential candidates and target specific groups of people who may be interested in the job opening. 
  • Engage with potential candidates – Engage with potential candidates through comments and messages. This will help to create a more personal connection and foster long-term engagement. 
  • Share success stories – Share success stories of past employees to show potential candidates what it’s like to work at your company. 

Quick wins for Facebook: 

  • Encourage likes/shares with your content/posts 
  • Run competitions & interact 
  • Post regularly on your company page with value-adding content 
  • Utilise the search bar properly 
  • Engage with groups (both local and interest) 

#3 Getting the most out of Twitter (currently rebranding to X)

Twitter/X can be an effective social media platform for recruiting. It can help you to quickly reach out to potential candidates, start conversations with them, and share job postings. Yet, recruiting through Twitter can be difficult and you may find that it’s not the best time investment. Should you choose to use it, it is likely that potential candidates will check your Twitter profile, so you’ll want to maintain a similar tone and brand identity.
To begin with, you should: 

  • Use the right keywords – Make sure to use the right keywords in your job postings. This will help to make sure your job postings show up in search results and attract more candidates. 
  • Engage with potential candidates – Engage with potential candidates through comments and messages. This will help to create a more personal connection and foster long-term engagement. 
  • Leverage hashtags – Use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience of potential candidates and target specific groups of people who may be interested in the job opening. 
  • Share success stories – Share success stories of past employees to show potential candidates what it’s like to work at your company. 
  • Promote job openings – Promote job openings through Twitter and use it to quickly identify qualified candidates. 

Quick wins for Twitter/X: 

  • Follow industry hashtags and participate 
  • Don’t let it become a stream of jobs 
  • Use it to find out the interests of your candidates to build rapport 
  • For hard-to-reach candidates, you might be able to get some engagement by replying/messaging through direct messages 

#4 Leveraging Instagram as a Recruitment Tool 

With its staggering 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users, it’s no surprise that Instagram has become a hot spot for talent search. The platform’s biggest advantage is its ability to drive engagement and spark interest among users. A job advert could now be transformed into an engaging visual, that probably showcases your office, innovative products and services, or even employee experiences with your brand. 

Checklist to begin with:  

  • Create a company profile: Start by setting up an Instagram account for your company that showcases your brand, culture, and values. This will help potential candidates get a feel for what it’s like to work at your company and what kind of work they would be doing. 
  • Build a following: The next step is to build a following on Instagram by posting content that is relevant to your company, industry, and target audience. This will help you reach a wider audience and engage with potential candidates. 
  • Share company culture: Share photos and videos that showcase your company’s culture, office space, and team events. This will help candidates get a sense of what it’s like to work at your company and whether they would fit in. 
  • Post job openings: Regularly post job openings on your company’s Instagram account, using eye-catching images and engaging captions. Make sure to include all the relevant details, such as job title, responsibilities, and requirements. 
  • Engage with your followers: Respond to comments, answer questions, and engage with your followers on Instagram. This will help build a relationship with potential candidates and make them feel valued. 

Having said that, one may wish to carefully consider resource requirements when planning to use Instagram as a channel for recruitment. Creating a professional-looking and effective recruitment presence on Instagram often requires a significant investment in design and branding resources, such as high-quality images and graphics, and may also require hiring a social media specialist. 

Quick wins for Instagram:  

  • Share short videos that showcase your company culture and workplace environment through Instagram Stories. 
  • Utilise the check-in feature and tag your location in case of events to attract passive job seekers 
  • Test the waters with Instagram live stream feature to boost mass awareness about your hiring events 
  • Post job openings directly on your company’s profile using Instagram’s job posting feature. 
  • Make sure your company’s Instagram profile accurately reflects your brand, culture, and values. 

#5 Using TikTok for recruitment: 

Using TikTok for recruitment can be a good idea for some companies, depending on their target audience and the type of roles they are looking to fill. TikTok has a large and diverse user base, with a significant portion of users being young and tech-savvy. This makes it an attractive platform for companies looking to target a younger demographic, especially for roles in the tech or creative industries. 

However, companies need to consider the nature of TikTok as a platform. The content on TikTok is generally lighthearted and informal, and it may not be the best fit for companies with a more professional or traditional brand image. Additionally, TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes viral and entertaining content over more serious content, which may make it more challenging for companies to effectively reach their target audience through the platform. 

Quick wins for TikTok: 

Here are some quick wins for recruitment on TikTok: 

  • Identify your target audience: Determine who your ideal candidate is and where they spend their time on the platform. This will help you tailor your content to your target audience and maximize your reach. 
  • Create engaging content: TikTok is all about entertaining and engaging content. Consider creating short, fun videos that showcase your company culture, work environment, and opportunities. 
  • Leverage popular trends: TikTok is all about riding the wave of popular trends. Keep an eye on the latest trends and see if you can incorporate them into your recruitment content in a fun and engaging way. 
  • Collaborate with TikTok influencers: TikTok influencers can help you reach a wider audience and attract potential candidates. Consider partnering with an influencer in your industry or niche to promote your company and job opportunities. 
  • Encourage employee advocacy: Encourage your current employees to create their own TikTok content and share it on their personal accounts. Employee advocacy is a powerful way to promote your company culture and job opportunities. 
  • Use hashtags: Hashtags can help you reach a wider audience and attract potential candidates. Consider creating a branded hashtag for your company and encouraging employees and followers to use it when sharing TikTok content related to your company. 

In conclusion, using TikTok for recruitment can be a good idea for companies that are looking to target a younger, tech-savvy demographic, especially for roles in the tech or creative industries. However, companies need to consider the nature of TikTok as a platform and the suitability of the platform for their brand image and recruitment goals. Just like Instagram, TikTok can be resource intensive due to its quick moving nature. Companies need to be creative, strategic, and consistent in their approach to using the platform for recruitment. 

#6 Utilising Glassdoor as part of your recruitment strategy:  

With more than 41 million monthly visitors, Glassdoor can be an asset in your search for top-notch talent. Candidates use the site to gather information about potential employers, read and write reviews, share and access interview questions, explore job openings, and research salaries. The significance of Glassdoor and similar platforms cannot be overstated when it comes to human resources and talent acquisition. HR teams are increasingly dedicating resources to enhance their company’s profile on social media and minimize any risks it poses to their employer brand. 

To start-off, you need to:  

  • Establish a Company Profile: Set up a company profile on Glassdoor that accurately reflects your brand, culture, and values. This will help you reach the right candidates and give them a better understanding of what it’s like to work at your agency. 
  • Post Job Listings: Use Glassdoor to post job listings and reach a large pool of active and passive job seekers. Make sure to include a detailed job description, requirements, and salary information to attract the right candidates. 
  • Engage with Candidates: Respond to candidate questions and feedback in a timely manner to build a relationship and show that your agency is serious about finding the right fit. 
  • Utilize Employee Reviews: Employee reviews can provide valuable insight into your agency’s culture and workplace environment. Encourage your employees to share their experiences on Glassdoor to attract top talent. 
  • Monitor Your Reputation: Keep an eye on your agency’s reputation on Glassdoor by tracking reviews and feedback. Respond to any negative feedback in a constructive and professional manner to show that you value your employees and care about their experiences. 
  • Utilize Glassdoor Insights: Glassdoor offers powerful analytics and insights that can help you understand your audience and target your recruitment efforts more effectively. 

Quick wins for Glassdoor: 

  • Develop a comprehensive and appealing company profile that accurately represents your brand, culture, and values. 
  • Encourage current employees to share their experiences and reviews on Glassdoor to attract top talent. 
  • Monitor and respond to feedback, both positive and negative, in a professional and timely manner. 
  • Post job listings and attract a large pool of active and passive job seekers with detailed job descriptions, requirements, and salary information. 

In conclusion, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives and has revolutionized the way we communicate, network, and even work. Recruiting is no exception, as social media has become a valuable tool for talent acquisition and a critical component of a comprehensive recruitment strategy. 

With the rise of new technologies and the ever-evolving job market, it’s more important than ever to stay ahead of the game, in this highly competitive industry.  

Before you move to the next section of this blog, don’t forget to check out our latest blog series on how to market your recruitment agency and stand out in this competitive space. 

 With so many options, what do you prioritise? Below is a recap of our top tips.  

7 EXPERT TIPS to maximize your social media recruitment strategy!  

#1 Build your Employer Brand: Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Glassdoor can be used to build and promote your company’s employer brand. Share company updates, highlight employee success stories, and promote company culture to attract top talent. 

#2 Utilize Employee Advocacy: Encourage your current employees to share job postings and company updates on their personal social media accounts. Employee advocacy can help increase your reach and credibility with potential candidates. 

#3 Engage with Potential Candidates: Use social media to engage with potential candidates by answering their questions, responding to comments, and sharing relevant content. This can help build relationships and establish your company as a thought leader in your industry. 

#4 Utilize LinkedIn Recruiting: LinkedIn is the largest professional networking site and is a valuable tool for sourcing, connecting with, and recruiting top talent. Utilize LinkedIn’s Recruiting features to create targeted job postings, reach passive candidates, and access a vast pool of potential candidates. 

#5 Leverage Social Media Advertising: Social media platforms offer a range of advertising options, including job postings and sponsored posts. Utilize these options to reach a wider audience and target specific demographics and industries. 

#6 Participate in Industry Discussions: Engage in industry-specific discussions and join relevant groups on social media. This can help you establish yourself as a thought leader in your field and attract top talent. 

#7 Measure Success: Utilize social media analytics to measure the success of your social media recruiting efforts. Track metrics such as job postings views, engagement rates, and candidate conversions to continually improve your strategy. 

About Sonovate: How can we guide you in your journey of growth? 

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Get in touch with Sonovate to understand how we can optimise your business cashflow and help it scale globally. 

 

 This is an updated version of the blog which was originally published here.