Passive candidates are the holy grail of recruiting. The most qualified people are almost always employed. They are willing to make a change, but only if the right opportunity comes along. Identifying these candidates and persuading them to take the leap to your company can be a challenge. However, there is a proven way to connect with passive searchers, and it’s a tool you probably already know how to use: social media.
How HR Teams Are Using Social Media for Recruiting
According to a recent survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), eight in ten HR professionals use social media for recruitment. On these platforms, they are able to promote their company’s brand as an employer and target passive candidates with specific skill sets.
The survey points to significant growth in the use of social media as a recruiting tool. In 2011, only 56 percent of HR pros used social media to find candidates, but at the close of 2015, 84 percent were making use of these platforms.
How are HR teams using social media for hiring purposes? According to SHRM’s survey:
- LinkedIn, unsurprisingly, is the most effective platform. Facebook and Twitter are growing in popularity, however.
- Companies with less than 100 employees are the most likely to use these three sites to target passive candidates.
- Large corporations utilize YouTube to attract interest.
- Most HR teams use social media to target managers and salaried employees, however, they are adopting new strategies to recruit hourly employees, as well.
Getting Started With Social Media
The biggest barrier to adopting a social media recruiting strategy is time. There is a learning curve associated with these platforms, and it takes time to develop an approach that can be streamlined. However, as recruiting teams become more comfortable on social media, and as they develop a following, the time spent on social media can be reduced as returns increase.
A good way to get started is to dive into LinkedIn. Join groups associated with your industry and join the conversation. As you contribute to discussions, you can leave breadcrumbs about the culture of your company, innovations you may be working on, and other subtle tidbits that encourage talented people to learn a little bit more about your organization.
If your recruiting team is stretched thin, and you don’t have the time to invest in recruiting passive candidates, consider partnering with an expert recruiter who can connect you with a fully vetted pipeline of top talent. If your HR team is looking for new ways to improve the hiring process, or if you are searching for HR professionals with a proven track record of success, connect with the professional recruiters at Contemporary Staffing Solutions today.