I really don’t like to share information that relates to how I grew up in the dark ages before the Internet was invented. Let’s just say that when one of our developers sent me a text (yes, I can text) that said “don’t get too wild on New Years”, he was being sarcastic. Sure, I’m going to go ahead and fire him (kidding) but it does reflect my position as an elder. What I dislike about being an elder is the misconception that I think everything was “better” back when I was growing up. I actually think the recruiting function of my job is much, much better now. And, I’m pretty sure that I have social media to thank for that improvement.
Prior to the advent of social media, I basically had to gauge people strictly from their resume and a brief phone interview. I also had to call the Cincinnati Enquirer every Friday by noon to make sure that our employment advertisements got printed in the Sunday edition. Then, I would wait for the resumes to get mailed into the post office drop box where I would have to drive to pick them up. It’s really difficult to get a full picture of someone through just a piece of paper and a quick phone conversation. That’s probably how I ended up interviewing a guy who started crying about his dog; I’d like to think that social media would have tipped me off on that one.
Recruiting with social media is just a much better use of my time and energy. And, InfoTrust is not alone with our new recruiting strategies. JobVite recently found that 89% of US companies will use social networks for recruiting. And, how could they not with over 65% of online adults using social networking. It’s the new radio—a great way to reach passive candidates and promote your company while finding top talent. And, it’s a two way street. Candidates can also get a flavor for a company as well through social media. What types of posts and commentary are they tweeting or posting about? The two way street of communication opens up a much broader picture of both the candidate and the hiring company.
I think it’s fairly obvious to most companies that social hiring is something to consider. Over 55% of companies will be investing in social media hiring this year (www.JobVite.com). This is definitely a case of easier said than done though. How exactly does a company just start finding people online? I’d like to invite readers to a series of blogs I’m writing on specifically how to engage candidates on each platform. My first study will be Twitter, and I’d certainly love to hear from other recruiters on how they have successfully incorporated social media into their hiring strategy as well. Please send me your success (or still trying) stories, and we’ll learn from each other!
Questions? Contact me at heather@infotrustllc.com or leave a comment below.
