peter giblett

Hiring through Social Media

May 3, 2010 by: Peter B. Giblett

Much has been written about meeting the challenges of sales and marketing through the use of social media, yet there are many other uses for the service. CRM has been discussed. Hiring is certainly another area where social network connections can make a difference. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Namyz, Zoominfo, and other sites can all assist in the job search, but that is not their primary reason to exist. Job seekers are actively leveraging their on-line network in search of their next role. For every job seeker there is also a hiring manager wishing to fill a role.

Hiring managers also need to understand how they can leverage the social media solutions they already use to connect with potential new staff members. Do not think purely of using these sites as a means of advertising a role when it does become available. Think of ways to connect with prospective employees with every thing that you do online, not simply at the time you need a specific hire.

When It comes to bring ready to make a new hire firstly you should look through your own connections before taking any other steps. You may already be in touch with the ideal candidate. The other alternative is that someone you know will be connected to the ideal candidate and may be able to connect you. The last article discussed a number of methods to leverage what LinkedIn has to offer to identify potential candidates. As each social medial site differs in its approach, but they all offer tools that allow you to connect with other people and that is key here. The recruitment consultants and advertising should almost be the place of last resort, not the first place you focus on.

When you have looked at your own network and are unable to identify any candidates then It is time to find other ways to connect with them. For example all LinkedIn groups have ‘jobs’ sections where posting jobs is easy and it is easy to post a link to the job posting through Twitter or Facebook. The key aspect about this media is that It demands interaction. That is as true for the hiring manager as it is for the person seeking new employment. If you have seen a clear insightful comment on the media and thought you would like to hire that person an an opportune time, well now that you have such a need they should be your first call, even if you know them to be employed and happy in their job.

Don’t be afraid to ask the people you know to see if they can make recommendations, that is after all about leveraging your network. We know this is the best way to make an effective hire, which also saves the business money in the recruitment process. The key is participation, attention, and sometimes a little patience. Most hiring managers know the talent they require in advance of the formal recruitment process starting, use this time wisely to make connections that can help you get in touch with perspective candidates.

At the end of the day there are plenty of options available to use before turning to a recruitment agent, who have proven to be less than reliable in recent times.

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Filed under: Cost Effectiveness,Hiring Staff,Leadership & Business Effectiveness,Social Media
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  • http://cio-perspectives.com/ pgiblett

    I have done a lot of work with many recruiters over a long period of time and do very much appreciate the value a good recruiter adds to the process. One is on my speed dial and we talk regularly – she is an exception in an industry that is failing to adapt to new business conditions. Sadly there are few good recruiters available today. Recruiters need to consider the needs of two sets of clients; the hiring manager and the candidate. I say clients eventhough the candidate does not pay for the recruiter's time they are a valuable resource that should be treated with respect and not simply ignored because you have no current needs involving their skills. During the recent recession I have come into contact with many business leaders, including people that have made dramatic differences to the businesses that they have worked for. They shared one thing in common the need to seek new employment. They all agree that recruiters have more often than not been an obstacle to their obtaining employment. Most have secured their new roles through networking and networking alone (irrespective of whether the connections were made face-to-face or via Social Media).

    Complaints (about recruiters) made by these job-seeking executives have included:
    * Only passing resumes to clients when the last role is an exact match for this role.
    * Ignoring them even when their resume is an EXACT match for the role.
    * Failing to understand the skills and capabilities of the candidates.
    * Thinking inside the box.

    One executive saw a role that was ideal for him, but the recruiter refused to consider his candidature. He got the job, but only because he ignored the recruiter as soon as he found a friend that had a connection to the hiring manager that told her how urgently the two of them should speak. That recruitment company lost a lucrative contract on that day.

    As a hiring manager there is only one recruiter that I will talk to because she takes time to understand what I am really seeking, most others are incapable of knowing the type of candidate that we are looking for. Social Media is also an ideal path to find candidates because it brings the candidate directly into contact with the hiring manager. In fact today Social Media is more often than not the first choice recruitment platform amoung the businesses we advise.

  • Cynthia

    “At the end of the day there are plenty of options available to use before turning to a recruitment agent, who have proven to be less than reliable in recent times.”

    Mr. Giblett,
    I'd be most interested in your evidence supporting the last part of your statement referring to recruitment agents, “…who have proven to be less than reliable in recent times.”
    Cynthia
    Thank you.