One of the most interesting aspects about the Facebook social network is its access to diverse people. A staggering amount of those people interact on Facebook daily and the latest stat has the massive social media network touting they have “1.23 billion users.” Staggering, huh? What’s even more fascinating is how engaged Facebookers can be with their family, friends and even favorite brands. One of the latest trends within the HR hiring/recruiting arena, is recruiting on Facebook. But before you jump on the bandwagon, first we have to ask, is it right for you?
With social recruiting on the rise, we know there are a ton of job seekers rummaging through jobsites and social networks like LinkedIn, Monster, Glassdoor and even Facebook, looking to connect with employers that need to hire. So it’s no surprise that Facebook has become a recruiting site for many employers. It’s definitely a large enough network for employers to target job seekers, but again we ask…is it the right strategy for you?
We’ve created this key questions to ask about your business before diving into the Facebook Recruiting Realm:
- How social is your business on Facebook? What about other networks i.e. Twitter, LinkedIn? If you’re not committed in the social media arena, it’s not recommended to venture down this path. Efforts made to expand your network online and target candidates without adequate social media representation, may put off potential applicants.
- What is your brand reputation like online? Is your brand suffering from a negative online reputation or poor moral? If so, starting a social media recruiting venture may not be the best option. Take the necessary action to rebuild your brand online and internally clean your in-house processes so that you can increase your chances at attracting the right talent.
- Do you have someone available to manage job postings? Do you have a process for taking applicants via your networks? Let’s start with the process. If you don’t have a social media recruiting process, it’s time to implement one. It may mirror your existing one, but be scaled down, allowing the posting of jobs for lower level or temporary positions. Whatever the process is, be sure and evaluate it every three-six months. With the social media landscape changing constantly, you’ll need to evaluate to see if a network, like Facebook, will impact your efforts.
- What are your social media recruiting goals? Be clear. Are you looking to dive into the Facebook waters not knowing what to expect? Invest wisely in your efforts and be realistic about your social media recruiting goals. Not every candidate should be sourced via a social network, especially Facebook. Evaluate which positions would be a good fit to engage applicants, target and begin to build your applicant network.
Lastly, Facebook can be a great place to connect with a mass group of individuals, but remember…you may get a lax attitude and possibly lackluster results. Be prepared to receive all sorts of inquiries and unsolicited commentary. Make sure you have to right process in place to deal with all sorts of challenges. If you are serious about considering this path, About has a great article on helping recruiters embark into the social media job recruiting.
Do you need help navigating the social media waters to find the right candidate? Comment or send us an email at info@corporateresources.com.
