With the increasing rise of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+, and plenty more, there is a massive audience of potential candidates now using social media. However many recruiters are either not using them or are operating on the mentality that ‘doing anything is better than nothing.’ Unfortunately, this isn’t the case! The last thing you want to do is annoy people, so here are 8 things you need to stop doing on social media:
1. Only posting job opportunities
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Whichever social media platforms you use this is the number 1 fail when it comes to social recruiting. Not only will an unrelenting stream of job postings cause your followers to flee, it will undermine the main advantage of using social media - the social part. You need to use social media to engage with your target applicant pool. Ask questions, post industry news, link to videos that illustrate office culture. Showcase your personality as candidates like to know there is a real person behind the cooperate social media account.
2. Only talking about yourself
It may be your Facebook page, LinkedIn page or Twitter feed but you don’t have to talk only about yourself. Link to interesting stuff other companies are up to whether they’re recruitment related or not. If you post stuff that interests you, then there’s a good chance it’ll interest your followers too. Also please don’t like your posts on Facebook, as you will come across as a bit egoistic!
3. Broadcasting not engaging
This is the most difficult one to get right since old-style recruitment advertising was all about broadcasting. But with social media, you need to keep updating your message. It is a two-way conversation and there’s nothing your audience will enjoy more than telling you their opinions. So why not ask them? If you’re posting a link, tell them why you like it and ask them what they think. If you’re planning a campaign, for instance to recruit for a specialist role, and you’re not sure where to advertise, ask your followers. The more you engage with your audience, the more they’ll regard you as an agency of choice. So when the right opportunity comes along, they’ll be more inclined to apply.
4. Being too corporate
No matter what social media platform you’re using it is important not to talk like an organisation. People respond best on social media when talking to other people. This doesn’t mean you have to go completely off brand, but it does mean having your own individual voices coming through too.
5. Not replying
One of the worst things you could do is not reply to someone, whether this is a tweet or a message, ignoring them is not going to go down well and may damage your reputation. Obviously if someone messages you at 3 in the morning you can’t be expected to jump up and reply, just send one when you get the chance. Replying to tweets will make your readers and candidates feel more engaged and more likely to come back.
6. Not asking people to retweet your job openings
When you do tweet job openings, you should make sure that they get as much visibility as possible. Simply adding a ‘Please RT’ at the end of your tweet will help your job get out to a wider audience. Tapping into your network and the networks of your followers is a force multiplier that helps to get your job opening in front of the right people.
7. Not honouring the candidate experience
Take the time to see your social recruiting methods through the eye of the candidate. Make your social media presence an inviting one, easy to navigate and learn more about your agency’s services. Using this as a plan for your recruitment strategy will help increase the odds that you will attract better candidates.
8. Only focusing on one social platform
Many recruiters tend to concentrate all their social media efforts on one platform. However it is important to do your research and decide which ones are the most appropriate for reaching your audience. If you’re likely to be recruiting people for a wide range of roles, then you should make sure you consider all relevant channels. . But if you recruit for a very narrow, specialist field, there may be a specialist platform that’s specifically used by people in your industry.
