Think social networking sites are only valuable in a thriving economy? Think again. Your candidates are diversifying their job search strategies and thinking creatively in search of opportunities. According to Web traffic site Alexa, both LinkedIn and Facebook experienced an increase in site traffic of about 56% and 30%, respectively, during the last three months. Even though hiring has slowed down significantly for many, you can continue to promote (or defend) your employment brand and continue engaging candidates online while building talent pipelines for the future.
Here are some dos and don’ts when it comes to recruiting with social networking sites in a downturn.
- Do fish where the fish are. Facebook and LinkedIn have over 150 million and 35 million users, respectively. These usage metrics and web traffic statistics may vary depending on what part of the world you are recruiting. However, the message is the same for selecting your target social networking sites—be where your candidates are. In the U.S., consider Facebook (members only) and LinkedIn (members only); in Europe, I’ve also heard a lot about Xing. Some of you may feel that you need to shun these sites because many of your talent competitors are using them already. However, it’s difficult to ignore the sheer volume of people that use them--use this volume to your advantage and experiment with different targeted branding and sourcing approaches.
- Do join various niche Groups within these sites to target your branding and sourcing efforts if you are still filling critical positions. These niche Groups can focus on job functions, geographies, interests, and other areas related to positions you are trying to fill. People in these Groups are potential candidates. At no cost (or for a very little fee), you can access a pool of candidates that have interests/experiences in a particular area or region, you can stay “in the know” on issues that excite these Group members (to further polish your employment message), identify Group participants that may demonstrate expertise in discussion forums, etc.
- Don’t forget that candidates’ experiences extend beyond your interactions with them during the formal recruiting process. You can continue providing relevant employment branding messages to candidates via social networks (by using news releases, videos, or other messages) on how your organization is weathering these tough times. On the flip side of the coin, if candidates reach out to you, make sure to respond. Even if you are not hiring at the moment, be honest about the situation at your organization and collect their contact information to continue a relationship with these candidates for when hiring does improve.
Do you have additional suggestions to share on what has worked well for you when it comes to using online social networks? We welcome your thoughts, as always.
Written by: Xi Chen
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