How Can Your Social Recruiting Be More Human?

With automation becoming so prevalent in the recruiting industry, it’s fair to say many companies have lost the essence of raw interpersonal communication in their use of social media. During our chat with Haley Marketing’s Brad Bialy in our Crushin’ It In Staffing podcast, we explored in detail the important role social media has in humanizing communication in the recruitment process. In discussing Facebook recruiting, Brad explained how to showcase your company’s more human side with social media recruiting:

“Be human and put the social back in somebody. Because again, if you’re not providing that value, if you’re not giving those answers to candidates, to prospects, they’re getting the answer somewhere else.”

According to Brad, here are some of the most impactful ways you can be “more human” on social media to effectively engage your audience and improve recruiting outcomes:

1. Showcase the human side of your company culture.

When it comes to humanizing your social media channels, much of the work starts first with highlighting the human side of your company. This may include showcasing your core mission, your team and the results you strive to achieve every day. As Brad explains, a major way to achieve this is through what he calls “thumb-stopping imagery” in which you promote your culture through client and candidate testimonials, pictures of your staff and other captivating visuals that represent your company’s values.

2. Grow social engagement with your team.

The most powerful use of social media often starts with your team’s ability to be effective online ambassadors for your company. Empowering your staffing team involves training them on best social media practices, giving them the tools to engage with prospects professionally, and most importantly, helping them understand the role of social media in connecting with candidates in a genuine and authentic way. You can increase social media engagement among your team by educating them about social media recruiting strategies; providing ongoing professional development opportunities; and incentivizing them through contests and other initiatives to incorporate social media as part of their recruiting process.

3. Add value on social media.

One of the most important ways to elevate your company on social media channels is to continually add value to your key audiences. Whether it’s through informative articles, blog posts or graphics, there are many ways to position your firm as a leading industry expert in staffing and recruiting – solidifying your online reputation while securing new leads from prospective candidates. In addition to posting informational content, adding value involves joining conversations. For instance, you may opt to join groups on Facebook and LinkedIn in which you can comment and engage with others on content related to your industry and recruiting goals.

Regardless of the type of content you share, Brad emphasizes the human element is most critical, explaining, “If you think about video content, it’s being human and answering the questions of candidates, of prospects on video. It’s answering those messages that come through Facebook Messenger and being human. It’s joining Facebook groups to, again, be human and join the conversation.” The more you can convey human nature through your content, the more it will resonate with your audience and compel them to engage with you.

4. Promote communication through social media.

By building social media as one of your official communications channels for recruitment, you’ll position your company as forward-thinking in the recruiting space. Using social media as a primary means of recruitment will allow you to expand your reach to more candidates, especially those of younger generations that often use social media as their sole job search resource. Through giving candidates direct access to your company through social media channels, your team will be able to generate more leads, fill jobs faster, and ultimately create an enhanced candidate experience.

With 73% of Millennials reporting they found their most recent job on social media and with 86% of people in their first 10 years of employment saying they use social media to find work, we can confidently say that social media is something all staffing and recruiting companies should be thinking about.  And, more and more companies turn to social media for their recruitment efforts, it will continue to become more and more important to maintain and authentic and trustworthy voice.  Be human.

The tactics above are just some of the many ways in which social recruiting can humanize your company, team members and overall mission. Through the tactics above, you can proactively create a more interactive and engaging experience for candidates who visit your social media channels and explore opportunities with your firm. Over time, you’ll gradually build relationships with prospects directly through social media, many of which will translate to productive relationships.

About TrackerRMS

TrackerRMS is a leading applicant tracking software designed for the SMB Staffing company. Our industry-leading staffing agency software will help you recruit faster and more efficiently. With over 20 years of experience, our recruiting software is built with you, the staffing professional in mind.