There’s no question that LinkedIn is important when it comes to finding and recruiting talent. Its focus is business and it’s very direct. But don’t be fooled into thinking it’s the only social media platform you need. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and, for some, Pinterest and SnapChat should be integral components of your recruitment efforts. Let’s take a look at how these other platforms can give you a competitive edge when it comes to acquiring talent.
In spite of its maturity, recent privacy concerns, and younger users migrating to other platforms, Facebook is very much alive and well. Though Millennials may have become more enamored of Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, Facebook is still the dominant platform for Generations X and Y, as well as Baby Boomers. With 2.17 billion active users worldwide, Facebook is a great way to network and disseminate information about your company, its environment, and culture.
It’s also a favorite social media platform with businesses which use it to promote their services and sell products. They do this through their Business Page, Facebook Groups, and Facebook Marketplace, which are all very useful for posting open positions. Facebook can also help you find and connect with former employees as well as unearth passive candidates who may become interested in your company.
Instagram and Pinterest
More visually-oriented social media platforms, such as Instagram and Pinterest, offer a quite different way to highlight your company, especially in presenting your organization’s attitudes and culture. Get creative. Share images of your product or services in action. Show your people and the workplace. Even post behind the scenes videos. Visuals offer an ideal way to show off your team and workplace, giving potential candidates a sense of what it’s like to work for your company.
For the uninitiated, Twitter can feel overwhelming. A fast-paced social media platform, it has a very definite place in your recruiting strategy. It establishes your company, and those within the company who use it, as a leader. By its very nature it offers the opportunity to interact directly with people, a plus for active and passive candidates alike. Candidates know that when a C-level executive has a Twitter account they are “live” and readily available. Remember that when using Twitter it’s best to be pro-active. Engage your followers and people who retweet and reply to your Tweets rather than being passive and waiting for them to contact you first. Reach out!
Multiple Impressions
It’s important to not think of each social media platform independently, but rather as a link in a networking chain that continually builds on each other. No matter which one you’re using, don’t forget to include a link to your LinkedIn Company Profile! This closes the loop, creates increased cross-platform networking, and maximizes your exposure to top talent.
Keep in mind that if someone looks you up on social media they’re not just going to look at one platform, they’re going to check out everything they can find. Use this to your advantage – show them as much and as many different sides of the company as possible. It’s a prime reason for creating different posts for different social media platforms. If they see the same thing repeated all over, it’s not going to make your company look interesting.
Show people – and potential candidates – what your company is really about. What sets you apart from the competition. Don’t be afraid to use humor when it’s appropriate, it shows the fun, human side of your organization. The more you show about who and what you are, the more likely you are to attract talent who is in step with your mission and values and will fit in, prosper, and help your organization thrive.
