Social Media Recruiting: Tips for Finding Talent (and Getting Hired)

pdfcrowd.comopen in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
Social Media Recruiting: Tips for Finding
Talent (and Getting Hired)
By Jim Conti on March 24, 2015
COMMUNITY MGMT HOME
Sprout Social Call us at:1.866.878.3231 LO G IN
INSIGHTSFilter: NONE ARTICLES RESOURCES EVENTS

Community Mgmt
As the business landscape evolves, social media is becoming increasingly more
important to the talent acquisition process. So how exactly should HR leaders go
about developing a plan of action for their whole team to adopt when it comes to
recruiting online—and how can job candidates make the right impression?
At Sprout Social, we believe in taking a holistic approach that guides candidates
every step of the way, from the point of first contact to the final decision. Here are
a few of our key insights for making that process as effective and as enjoyable as
possible for all involved.
Social is an Integral Part of a Solid Recruiting Process
Today’s job candidates are highly active on social media. Before even applying,
they are likely checking out a company’s Instagram to get a sense of the
workspace and people. They are also hopping on Twitter and Facebook to hear
the brand’s voice. And Glassdoor is providing an insider’s view into the CEO,
culture and channels for growth.
Candidates no doubt are checking up on your employees too: Is the hiring
manager Tweeting about the cool stuff the team is doing? Is the recruiter only
auto-posting roles on LinkedIn? Are there any connections to current or former
FREE TOOLS
CONNECT
Visit our social media
channels:
TwitterLinkedInFacebookGoogle+
RSS
FEATURED
Try our free
Engagement
Report
Share jobs on
social with Job
Board

employees?
Thus, rather than being seen as one step in the recruiting process, social must be
embraced as integral to the entire candidate experience. Think about how you’re
approaching social—both as an entity and as individuals. Does your organization’s
brand mesh with what employees are saying? If not, you should think
about an employee advocacy plan that will empower your team to more
effectively get the word out.
From there, it’s important to get in front of the right candidates. Integrating your
employer brand into your social campaign is one of the easiest ways for potential
hires to know who you are and how you operate before they ever apply.
Think about how you shop, whether online or in person. You look at the item you
are considering from every angle. You ask your friends if they have ever used the
product. You read reviews and look at instructions. You get comfortable with the
product before you buy it. It’s the same with applying for jobs. The best
candidates aren’t diving in blindly. They are paying attention to what you say, how
you say it and what people are saying about you as well. As with any decision,
candidates are trying to be as informed as possible before making a major
commitment.
Creating Social Media Guidelines for Your Talent
Team
Once you have defined your social strategy as an organization, it’s essential to
educate your team about what is expected when posting jobs and interacting with
7 Steps in Creating a
Winning Social Media
Marketing Strategy
Social Media in Higher
Education: Strategies to
Make You Best in Class
How to Find the Best
Twitter Hashtags

candidates online. Here are some basic dos and don’ts that we follow here at
Sprout.
Social Media Recruiting Dos:
Be yourself.
Create a mix of content: job openings (obvi) but also company blog posts,
industry updates, company news, employee milestones/celebrations.
Get involved and contribute.
Connect with communities, not just people. For example, don’t just follow
every JavaScript engineer you can find on Twitter; follow community
profiles as well (Meetup groups, user groups, conferences).
Be intelligent, knowledgeable and supportive.
Social Media Recruiting Don’ts:
Lack personality.
Be overly aggressive.
Only post scripted, generic information.
Have a Twitter feed that is just one position after another.
Be a robot.
36 Free Tools for Creating
Unique Images
How to Use Hashtags on
Every Social Media
Network

What Recruiters are Looking for on Social
On the other side of the equation, here’s what job candidates should know about
what recruiters are seeking on social.
Be Polished
Start with this simple advice: Don’t put anything on social that you would be
embarrassed to show your mother. Of course, most of our parents are on social
these days, so maybe that’s already keeping you in check. This is also dependent
on where you are applying; some employers are certainly more buttoned up than
others.
Be Authentic
Sprout is a software company working in the social media space. Even though you
don’t have to use social to work here, most of us do. Either way, we want to see
who you truly are. If your personality is a match with our culture (and vice versa), it
will come through in the interview, so there’s no reason to be overly crafted
online.
Be Consistent
At Sprout, we don’t use social to say yea or nay to a candidate entirely. It
simply gives us a deeper understanding of who someone is. If you’ve applied to
work here and are talking with a member of our talent team, they might bring up
VIEW MORE ARTICLES →
Always Up-to-Date Guide
to Social Media Image
Sizes

something you recently Tweeted, but just as an icebreaker. Bottom line: Be
mindful of all that you’re putting out on social, and be consistent. If the information
on your résumé is different from what you have on your LinkedIn or portfolio site,
that’s a red flag to us. Also, make sure everything is up to date before you apply.
Make a Match
With these strategies and tips—for both companies and candidates alike—you’ll
be sure to find the right match. At the end of the day, just remember that the
whole interviewing process is about both sides getting to know each other better,
and social should be an integral part of that experience.
Have additional insights? Share your thoughts on recruiting and job hunting in the
comments below. And if you’re interested in learning more about Team Sprout, be
sure to check out our job board for an opportunity that might make sense for you
or someone you know.

UP NEXT
Bracket Busting: Predicting
the College Basketball
Tournament with Social Media

JIM CONTI
Jim Conti leads Sprout Social's ambitious talent team.
Affectionately known as the "Cruise Director" while in the
office, Jim can be found exploring the streets of Chicago and
planning his next international adventure when not growing
and caring for Team Sprout. Give him a follow @SproutJim.
Sign in or Post as Guest 7 people listening
0 COM M ENTS

Newest | Oldest | Top Comments
FEATURES
Engagement
Monitoring
Social CRM
Publishing
Analytics
Team Collaboration
HelpDesk
Mobile
SOLUTIONS
Customer Service
Social Management
Social Marketing
Agencies
ABOUT
Pricing
Customers
Company
Careers
Privacy
Legal
Brand Assets
SUPPORT
Email Us
System Status
DOWNLOAD
iPhone/iPad
Android
INSIGHTS
Articles
Resources
Press
Contact Insights
SHARE
+ Follow Share Post comment as...

TwitterTwitter Certified Product
Sprout is a Twitter certified partner for
Engagement and Analytics.
FacebookPreferred Marketing Developer
Sprout is a Facebook Preferred Marketing
Developer for Management & Insights.
Google+Google+ Pages API Partner
Sprout is a Google+ Pages certified third-
party management tool.
Sprout Social131 S. Dearborn St., Ste. 1000 Chicago, IL 60603 1.866.878.3231
TWEET
SHARE
SHARE
PLUS 1
SECURE, RELIABLE and TRUSTED
Sign up to have social media resources sent to your inbox every week.
youremail@company.com SIGN ME UP!

Social Media Recruiting: Tips for Finding Talent (and Getting Hired)

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Featured

Featured (20)

Social Media Recruiting: Tips for Finding Talent (and Getting Hired)