Social Media Recruiting: Definition, Potentials, Strategies

According to the WKO's Social Media Guide, 4.4 million people - around half the population of Austria  - regularly write, post, share and like on social networks. You may think it's only private individuals who are on Insta, TikTok and other platforms but that’s not the case. Businesses  have long recognized the power of social media and creating up-to-date posts, stories and reels is common practice.

Interestingly, only a few companies are using social media effectively to find new talents, even though businesses can really benefit from social media recruiting. We'll tell you exactly how, in the following blog post.

What is Social Media Recruiting?

Social media recruiting includes all HR marketing activities that take place via social networks. These can be job advertisements on popular platforms such as Facebook or Instagram, as well as activity on career networks such as XING or LinkedIn. It also includes activity in industry-specific networks, online communities and forums.

There are two general types of activity: active and passive. While a passive initiative would be updating information on career portals, for instance, the targeted search and direct approach of suitable people is an active one.

The ability to quickly and actively approach promising candidates is one of the great potentials of social media recruiting, but there are many more:

5 Potentials of Social Recruiting 

There's no doubt: job fairs, trade shows, and traditional job postings still play a role in the "war for talents". But the new opportunities offered by social media recruiting in particular provide a good opportunity to supplement traditional methods in a modern way. Let's take a closer look at five promising benefits:

1. Versatility

Companies can use the colorful social media world to their advantage in a variety of ways. Companies that regularly present interesting content on social media become a relevant employer brand. In this way, employer branding not only helps in actively targeting suitable job seekers, but also reaches qualified workers who may not (yet) be looking for a job.

2. Costs

If implemented strategically, social media recruiting is a cost-efficient alternative to other recruiting methods. An online job posting can be created within an hour and costs nothing, aside from the time required. In addition, likes, shares and comments are also free multipliers. Thanks to group-specific targeting, further advertising is also associated with costs that can be easily estimated.

3. Targeting

Precise social targeting allows you to address your desired target group as directly as possible in an informal, semi-private social media setting. After all, we all feel more comfortable in a familiar environment, and are more likely to be open to new opportunities.

4. Measurability

The right KPIs allow for precise measurement of success and traceability of the implemented initiatives. With the information gained, social recruiting activities can be constantly optimized - and, even better, your boss will also understand what’s happening where, with each goal.

5. Reach

Viral postings, stories and reels often reach a huge audience. This way, you may even get through to interested people who would never have noticed your ad "in real life".

That sounds convincing, doesn't it? So let's find out which channels are suitable for social media recruiting.

The Choice Of Platform

Social media is fast-paced. For years, new platforms have been popping up, only to be forgotten again after a few months. Of course, it's hard to keep track and know which channel might be relevant for your recruitment market. No worries, your company doesn't need to be present on every platform, but only on those where you can best reach your target group with job offers and employer branding. Let's take a closer look at some of the most popular and proven channels for social recruiting:

• Business networks like LinkedIn are classic channels. In this business context, it’s great for addressing job hunters. At the moment, XING is a rather controversial environment, but we are currently watching the developments of the New Work SE with interest. We’ll have to see how it develops.
  
  

• Let images speak for you on Instagram and make your company's culture more tangible. The social media platform with a focus on (audio-)visual content is well suited to reach younger professionals with creative formats such as reels or videos.
  
  

• WhatsApp isn’t only for texting: It can also be used for recruiting. Large companies such as Mercedes-Benz have been experimenting in this area for some time and are attracting job seekers with insights via group chat or Q&A sessions. This is especially appealing to the younger generation. Attention: Take care of data protection!
  
  

• Despite declining usage numbers, Facebook is still one of the most visited social media platforms worldwide, especially among younger professionals. Job postings can be easily displayed via a company account. The Facebook Business Manager also provides detailed information on the target group and enables meaningful targeting.
  
  

• TikTok has gained importance in recent years. The typical TikTok target group has now reached adulthood and is entering professional life. A presence is particularly interesting for companies that want to reach a Gen Z audience. In recent months, TikTok Resumes, a pilot project, has been launched in the U.S., where people can apply for jobs via TikTok. This trend should be kept an eye on as it may soon be of interest to us, in Europe, as well.

5 Promising Strategies

So, now we know about the right channels…But what about the right strategy for social media recruiting? Analyze your personnel resources in advance and set clear goals for your social media recruitment in order to be able to measure clear success after a certain period of time and be able to make adjustments along the way.

• Employer branding 

  Provide authentic insights into everyday working life on social networks and regularly share useful content to attract the attention of your target group. The younger generation in particular values a good working atmosphere and flat hierarchies. With a few helpful tips for good content, you can get started right away.
  
  

• Employee Advocacy 

  Turn workers into corporate influencers by encouraging team members to share company content and brand messages on private accounts as well.
  
  

• Job postings 

  Posting job openings on social media platforms is part of the classic repertoire of social recruiting and shouldn’t be left out. Make sure to direct your target group to the company website with further information via links and ensure more reach with shares, likes and comments.
  
  

• Ads 

  With paid ads, on LinkedIn or Facebook for example , the reach of organic postings can be significantly increased.
  
  

• Influencer Marketing 

  Invite relevant personalities to a trial day at your company and recruit brand new workers together with their personal recommendation.

Conclusion: Finding The Right Talent With Social Media Recruiting

Social media recruiting is an effective tool if you use it correctly for your own requirements. Get to know your target group, define clear goals, and start with a balanced mix of classic and modern methods and keep track of the results - as the old saying goes, "The proof is in the pudding."