According to Halstead Media, the way our society communicates is continuously changing, and so are potential job candidates. As time passes, Gen Z is beginning to enter the workforce, and Millennials are taking on leadership positions, so when it comes to recruiting employees, putting out flyers on lamp posts and selling ads in the local newspaper just isn’t going to cut it anymore.
Halstead says that the use of social media has become increasingly more popular as the years have gone on, making it the leading way to recruit and scout out new potential job employees.
Why Social Media is Critical for Recruiting
Millennials and Gen Z have grown up with technology their entire lives; most using their first device before they could even walk. Now that older generations are beginning to retire, the younger ones are next up to pioneer the next generation of the workforce.
As a result of social media’s popularity amongst younger generations, new job candidates are much less likely to be attracted to outdated recruiting methods; in fact, not using up-to-date recruiting approaches may show that the company as a whole is not very technology-oriented, giving them a less appealing reputation.
Just like how typewriters have transitioned into high-performing computers, technology is overtaking many areas of business. From gathering data to sending out newsletters, technology has made multiple business tasks much faster and more efficient.
So, when thinking about how to fill those new openings in your company as more and more baby boomers retire, Halstead suggests taking a more modern approach to attract the younger generations and work to become more relatable.
Reputation Matters
Halstead cited an article written by Glassdoor, which states that 86 percent of people looking for a job look up company reviews and ratings before applying, and 50 percent would not work for a company who has been perceived with a bad reputation.
A company’s reputation is not only limited to its consumer-facing brand, but its brand as an employer.
The way companies treat their customers directly reflects company culture, meaning a potential job candidate can determine the company culture just from observing customer reviews. Therefore, you want to make sure you’re upholding a positive reputation to avoid negative impacts on growth and retention rates.
The more customer-oriented your company is, the better overall reputation you’ll have, making possible job candidates see your company as a more attractive place to work.
How to Use Social Media to Build a Strong Employer Brand
Halstead stresses the importance of having a positive social media presence, since that can reflect a company’s reputation. So how exactly can you use social media to create a strong employer brand?
You want to make sure that you’re consistently putting out good content. The content should reflect your company’s core values and beliefs, so you can find job candidates who will fit in.
Halstead suggests posting on Facebook, participating in and holding live videos, and creating Instagram stories to engage customers and potential job candidates. It’s also beneficial to join industry groups as well as use appropriate hashtags that target the ideal job candidates.
When deciding what to put out on social media, it’s critical to make sure that your content is diverse and recent. You also want to put emphasis on how much your company values your employees and make it evident on social media that the company culture is positive and welcoming. This way, potential job candidates will want to work for your company, since it has an inviting atmosphere.
Leading companies are consistently showing off their best work, so in order to recruit the best talent possible, it’s important to show off your company’s most successful aspects. Halstead says that when you show off, your employees will want to repost your company’s social media posts because they feel proud of what your company has accomplished.
Halstead also points out that using videos that feature your employees can help to establish an emotional connection with potential job candidates, with an end goal of using social media to make future job candidates feel more comfortable when deciding to apply for a job at your company.
