LinkedIn isn’t the only social site that can help land you that next job. Twitter is slowly but surely jumping on the bandwagon. We spoke to Erin Osterhaus, HR Analyst at Software Advice about her thoughts on the matter. 
1. Why do you think it’s important for companies to utilize social recruiting?
If a company is going to stay competitive when it comes to recruiting, they absolutely need to leverage social media platforms to find and attract talent. Recruiting is becoming more and more like marketing–recruiters can target niche audiences using tools like LinkedIn and Twitter. If other companies are targeting those same candidates while your company is relying solely on job boards, referrals and company career pages, you’re most likely missing out on some excellent new hires.
2. Do you think companies that utilize this tool have more success finding desirable candidates?
Yes. The primary goal of any recruiter is to increase the number of candidates in the pool. After all, with more applicants, the better the chances of finding the best person for the job. It’s simple math. By extending your reach through social media, more job seekers are likely to hear about your open positions. And if you target your audience well, you’ll also get more qualified applicants as well–you might even catch the eye of some applicants who weren’t currently looking. Overall, it’s a win-win.
3. How do you suggest a company begins the process of social recruiting?
First, come up with some clear and executable goals. Twitter should be used for more than just blasting out job postings. Creating awareness about new positions should definitely be a key part of any social recruiting strategy, but your company should also consider how it can create a real-time view into your company’s culture, and make people want to work for you.
4. What are some of the best practices?
First of all, it’s important to get current employees to post about jobs, share news and expose your company culture. After all, who could provide better insight into what it’s like to work for your company than those who already work there?
Instead of just using Tweets from the @JoinTheFlock handle, Twitter’s recruiters are able to make the company seem more accessible. There is a name and a face associated with an open job, not just a corporate account, which applicants have nothing tangible or personal to connect with.
Second, recruiters should leverage the tools already built into the social media platforms. For instance, the hashtag on Twitter. This symbol has the seemingly-magical ability to make your Tweets appear before Twitter users who don’t even follow you. And not only do they get you in front of more people, they also help ensure those are the right people.
For example, if someone is looking for a job in software development, they might search certain tags, such as #hadoop, #CMS, #UX or #TechTalent. By including hashtags in a job post, these candidates can find the job, even if they don’t follow the @JoinTheFlock account already.
It’s a kind of built-in advanced search option that has the benefit of simultaneously exposing @JoinTheFlock’s Tweets to an audience of qualified—and possibly interested—potential new hires. It’s a win-win.
Third, as there are more and more multimedia formats available, and recruiters should leverage photos and video to show potential applicants what life would be like if they were to work for you. A picture is worth a thousand words–so don’t be afraid to share photos of events around the office.
And if a picture is great, video is even better. It makes the candidate feel like they’re in the office. There are multiple instances of the Vine video app being used on the @JoinTheFlock account, and all serve to showcase what a wonderful place Twitter is to work.
5. I understand you spoke with Twitter’s own recruiting programs officer, Anitra Collins. What were her suggestions on this matter?
Twitter’s approach, is multi-pronged. Sharing current employees’ and hiring managers’ Tweets allows a glimpse into the day-to-day life at the company, and showcases Twitter’s culture in a way that makes the company look attractive to prospective employees.
All these tactics highlight Twitter’s openness to potential applicants. But it’s also important to note that they follow through and respond directly to applicants who Tweet at the @JoinTheFlock handle, pointing them to current listings. These exchanges make the process much more personal.
Twitter’s recruiters also use the platform to garner information about candidates that would be unavailable through traditional recruiting processes. They use Twitter to vet candidates for their style, communicative prowess and attitude: all things that are much more difficult to find in a traditional resume.
6. Can you list a few Do’s and Dont’s in regards to social recruiting?
Don’t be one-sided with your use of social media.
Do be active. Reach out to qualified candidates, and respond when you receive inquiries from potential applicants.
7. Can you list some top reasons social recruiting benefits a company beyond just finding new talent?
It’s a great and inexpensive way to build your brand. For example, Twitter does a great job of exposing its culture through its social media account. Allowing potential candidates a glimpse into what they can expect if they are going to work there keeps them interested, and might pique the interest of more passive candidates, as well.
Using Twitter and other social media is a great way to expose new people to what your company has to offer, and if used well, has the potential to grow your following and talent pool at an astounding rate.
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
