3 Ways to Make Facebook a Productive Recruiting Tool

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handslikevar2 facebookLinkedIn is (in many cases) a company’s best friend in terms of recruiting and screening.  But it is not the only social networking site that should be leveraged when looking to fill open jobs.

More people have Facebook profiles than they have LinkedIn profiles; it has a large percentage of users over the age of 45; it has a 58% female user base.  Therefore, Facebook should be a component of your recruiting process, especially if you want to focus on certain job types – such as entry-level and/or hourly positions. Facebook is typically not the “go-to” platform for salaried, managerial or professional openings.  Only 30% of Facebook’s users have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Promote your Job Posts

Did you know that when you simply post a job on Facebook, roughly 1-2% of your audience will see it?  You can thank Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm for that. To get your open job in front of more people, you can “boost” your post and target a specific demographic in the process.  

To do so is easy, through the “boost” option, available to you when you post a status (in this case a job post). Just follow these steps:

  • Select the “boost post” option located within the “Update Status” window.
  • Select People You Choose Through Targeting.
  • Target accordingly. For example, you can choose to target those followers in the largest city near the job opening.
  • Set your post budget. The more you spend, the more people will have the job opening hit their newsfeed.
  • Now post.

 

Career Pages

Many companies are boosting “job posts” on their Facebook pages, but others are also leveraging targeted “Now Hiring” or “Career” Facebook pages. These pages are being marketed as “one-stop shops” for any/all interested job seekers. The pages – designed to appeal to a millennial audience – are used to highlight company culture, educate prospects about the company, as well as allow visitors to search and apply for jobs and internships.

Screening

Facebook is a great tool for screening applicants.  You can get a much more personal view through Facebook posts than by a simple list of accomplishments and skills (ala LinkedIn).  If candidates’ Facebook profiles are available to you, you can gain a lot of insight on their:

  • Judgment skills….Did they share confidential information? Did they post negative comments about a previous employer? Did they post inappropriate photos?
  • Communication skills…Are their posts littered with bad grammar and misspellings (beyond random autocorrects)?
  • Personality…Are they well-rounded? Is their humor appropriate? Will they fit with your corporate culture?
  • Creative skills…What is used as their profile photo? Their timeline photo? Are they unique?

However, as always, do not simply depend on one avenue.  Social media is great, but it is not the answer to every question. Successful recruiting requires a well-rounded approach. Part of that approach should be to leverage the services of a reputable staffing firm like Snelling.  We know how to recruit and we know how to screen.  So locate your local office, and contact us today.