Using Social Media to Search for Potential Employees

By: Casey Hines | @caseyagogo Job openings are advertised in several different channels, from ads on Craigslist and Monster to the old standby of word-of-mouth. These days, sharing hiring information via social media channels is a very beneficial tool to utilize when gathering a lot of possible candidates in a short amount of time.

LinkedIn is an excellent social media channel to begin a search. Creating a listed job posting is only the first step. Look through the People You May Know tab to see who you may have common connections with. If an individual is intriguing,  you can go back to your common connection and ask for any feedback they may have on the person in question. Joining groups that focus on your industry, location, and professionals seeking employment are great places to post about open positions. Most LinkedIn users have their resume uploaded on their profile, which is a bonus for employers.

Facebook and Twitter  share necessary information and generate quick responses. Send out the word with a link to information about the position, and consider sending out a mass message to followers as well. Tweets about job openings are often picked up by users catering solely to job seekers. Chances are good you'll be retweeted and the word will spread. Take a look at what relevant hashtags are popular with career searches, and add them to your post. This goes double if you have a company blog, where openings in your business can be shared easily and have all the relevant information in one place.

A few statistics:

  • Employers are using social media to find candidates (94%) of the time, target a specific job level (54%), increase the company's brand (60%), and target a specific set of skills (52%). (CommPR)
  • In 2012, recruiters are expected to use social media to recruit for over 80% of job openings. (AnsonAlex)
  • 69% of companies have used social media to screen people out. (Dublin and Lee)
  • Employers are primarily using Facebook (65%) and LinkedIn (63%) to research candidates; 16% use Twitter. (The Hiring Site)

If things bode well, you'll have resumes filling your  inbox in no time.

Will Nesbit