Social media is a powerful tool, changing everything from how we interact with our friends and peers to how a company markets itself and its products. But what role does it play in the recruitment process?
With more than 800 million active users on Facebook*, and 135 million users signed up to LinkedIn** worldwide, social networks are starting to change the way individuals look for jobs and companies fill positions. These networks give jobseekers global reach: more than two million companies have LinkedIn company pages, and its corporate hiring solutions are used by 75 of the Fortune 100 companies**. But while the numbers are impressive, the extent to which social media is used successfully in recruiting is harder to gauge. "Social media hasn't yet found its place when it comes to recruitment, but it's evolving fast and will become increasingly influential," says Mark Cameron, chief operating officer at Astbury Marsden.
Sourcing is the primary way in which social media is currently being used. Cameron says that more and more candidates and companies are using websites such as LinkedIn to support their recruitment strategies. "It is the place to be if you want to be found," he says. "Organisations are using it to find individuals that meet their criteria. This is a good way to reach out to potential recruits so, if you're looking to move, make sure your profile is really selling your skills and experience."
21st-century networking
As well as adding another dimension to finding candidates for a position, social media can also be used for career progression. In much the same way that good old-fashioned networking can introduce you to a wider circle of people, by joining groups on LinkedIn and participating in the discussions or by tweeting, you can raise your profile with prospective employers. "People are using social media to get on the radar of the companies they want to notice them," explains Cameron. “Contributing to discussions is another form of networking. It’s social in the true sense of the word.”
Brand building
Engaging with social media is also benefiting employers. Brands can be built and reinforced through activity on social media. Additionally a company can use it to engage with people they might want to employ in the future, for example undergraduates or professional groups.
By proactively contributing, both candidates and employers can also strengthen their position within a network. “You wouldn’t walk into a social event and bluntly announce that you want a new job or a new recruit. It’s the same with social media and you’ll get the best results if you take part and contribute,” says Cameron.
The way social media is being used is becoming more sophisticated, too. The next development, according to Cameron, will be greater use of technologies that monitor social media activity and use this information to identify user sentiment.
Bullhorn Reach, a tool for employers and recruiters, is an early example of this. By monitoring activity such as obtaining more recommendations or adding skills to a LinkedIn profile, it attempts to identify when someone might be considering a job change. Targeting them at this point will mean they’re more receptive to new opportunities.
And social media’s influence on recruitment won’t stop there. Technology analysts are predicting that it will play an even larger role. Examples of how it will develop include; crowdsourcing, where recruitment is handled by making requests to incentivised social networks; and gamification, where companies use games to increase engagement with potential recruits from a much earlier age. “It’s a few years off yet, but I’d recommend engaging with social media now, even if you just watch how it’s used,” adds Cameron. “Ignore it at your peril.”
Sources:
* Facebook statistics, November 2011
** LinkedIn Press Centre, November 2011