How to Use Social Media to Increase Recruiting Efforts

As a recruiter, it’s your job to get in front of talent, thus developing connections with these professionals. It’s no secret that people spend a lot of time on social media, which means that you should be active on these platforms too. People want to form a one-on-one connection with others when they are job hunting, which is part of the appeal of social media. You can have a quick, direct conversation with a potential new hire in a matter of minutes. In order to use your social media platforms to bring in the best of the best, consider these tips:

Make sure your online presence reflects who you really are

There’s no point in being mysterious on social media. You want people to know who you are, what you do, and where to find you. When you create a well-developed online presence, professionals will feel more comfortable partnering with you. However, if you’re still an egg on Twitter and have no picture on LinkedIn, it makes you harder to trust.

Stay involved

You can’t just drop in on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook once every few months and hope to build a social media network. Just like with any type of networking, connecting with people via social media requires concentrated effort and time. When you regularly visit these platforms, you start to develop an ongoing relationship with other users. Even if you are not a fan of social media personally, understand that being active on it is part of your job, and attend to it daily.

Don’t be fake

Social media is all about presenting your authentic voice. Don’t get on Twitter and fire off tweets that you think other people want to hear. You have a unique perspective and your own knowledge to present, so make sure your thoughts are authentic. The person you are in real life should be exactly who you are on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Listen more than you talk

Many people come in and try to dominate a conversation on Twitter, then can’t understand why they’re having trouble making connections. When it comes to developing real connections on Twitter (or any social media platform), it is important not to talk at people. Instead, there should be a give and take during the conversation.

Share information that is useful

Regardless of how proud you are of your recruiting efforts, you have to share ideas and articles that other people want to read. Resist the urge to toot your own, and put out content that informs or entertains. When you contribute useful information to the conversation, you become a valuable part of the dialogue. Make sure that the materials you’re presenting are relevant and compelling, and that they appeal to a wider audience. No one wants to connect with someone who only promotes his or her own work or accomplishments. Mass appeal is a necessity.

Just like with face-to-face interactions, follow up is important on Twitter. You can’t just have a conversation with someone once and then expect that they are now a connection. Take the time to continue engaging this person in a discussion, and work on building relationships.

How do you use social media in your recruiting efforts?