Finding the right candidate for the right job has always been the Holy Grail of recruiting, but thanks to social recruiting technology it’s easier than ever to succeed in that elusive quest. Sifting through a sea of resumes can be discouraging, especially if none of those resumes hint at the perfect match for the position you need to fill. Social recruiting makes it easier to find the proverbial needle in the haystack because it better equips you to attract and engage the interest of the right candidates.
Here are 10 ways social recruiting technology has changed the recruiting game and three things to look forward to.
1) Short job postings are in:
Twitter is the new model for job postings. Along with smartphones and up-to-the-minute newsfeeds have come shorter attention spans. People reading online want their information — including job openings — in bite-sized pieces.
If it’s difficult to tell your job postings from full-blown job descriptions, you’re probably missing out on great candidates because you’re not grabbing their attention. Apply Twitter’s 140-character rule to your job postings and see an increase in interest from the type of candidates you’re seeking.
2) Mobile is a must:
People are no longer waiting for the Sunday paper to browse the help wanted section for jobs. Smartphones and tablets have made it possible for job seekers to look for new openings no matter where they are — whether they are waiting in line at the DMV or on their lunch break. If you don’t have a mobile option for candidates, you’re missing out.
3) Response time is faster:
Social recruiting technology has made it possible to interact with candidates the moment they complete their application. Eighty-two percent of candidates expect to hear back from a company after applying, but 29 percent never even get acknowledgment that their application was received.
Not only does this hurt a company’s reputation, but it can turn people off from doing any kind of business with an organization. Cutting down the time from submission to review and contact saves time, money, and sanity (for you and your candidates). Enable email, text, and instant messaging alerts to make your recruiting process quick and painless.
4) Access to candidates is better:
Professional networking sites like LinkedIn and social media platforms like Facebook help you reach qualified candidates across the country and the world. Social recruiting also helps you capitalize on referrals from current and former employees: thanks to the Internet, you can now work your way through a trusted source’s network in a matter of minutes. And the viral nature of social media helps you get the word out to the right people at the speed of a mouse click.
5) There is more to go on than a resume:
That one-page summary of a person’s talents, accomplishments, and experience is still a valuable recruiting tool, but you can find out so much more about a candidate through social recruiting. Job seekers with profiles on professional social networks or online job boards are able to post virtual portfolios that highlight their real-world skills, share examples of their work, and establish a more well-rounded presentation of who they are as a professional.
Using social networks also helps you get an idea of how candidates would fit in with your current team and company culture. This saves you time by weeding out the ones who don’t really have the right body of work (or temperament) for your needs — and you can do it all without having to call them in for an interview.
6) References are just a click away:
Gone are the days of chasing down references for every candidate. Most online profiles include a place for candidates to include recommendations and reviews of their work. Being able to access that information upfront helps you identify the best candidates more efficiently.
That’s not to say it’s time to throw the traditional method of reference checks out the window, but this gives you greater insight during the initial recruitment phase. Published recommendations can assist you in identifying the candidates most worth calling in for an interview.
7) Reviews work both ways:
Companies are under as much scrutiny as candidates these days. Job seekers are savvier than ever, and they’re taking the time to research companies before applying — so it’s important to pay attention to your organization’s online presence.
Include more than just the current opening when posting jobs and creating your company’s profile. Paint a picture of the whole company, why employees love working there, and what makes you a great organization to join.
8) Making the perfect match is easier:
Just as online dating sites use algorithms to bring compatible people together, social recruiting technology can match your organization with the best candidates. This goes beyond checking off qualifications and credentials and helps you find people who match your company culture. You can add culture-related questions to your online application process to sort out those who are most likely to fit in.
9) More data means better recruiting practices:
Identifying the recruiting practices that bring you the best results has always been a challenge. Recruiting technology gathers data that you can use to optimize your recruiting strategy. BountyJobs, for example, partners with employment agencies to establish benchmark data that organizations can use to see how their recruiting practices compare to industry standards.
Real-time data lets you know where to expend your energy, whether it’s streamlining job descriptions, changing up the interview process, or adjusting your compensation and benefits packages. Make sure you’re utilizing the data and analysis capabilities of any recruitment technology you use, from internal websites to mobile applications and social recruiting sites.
10) The compliance process is improved:
The hiring and recruitment process is rife with rules and regulations, and noncompliance is a human resource department’s worst nightmare. Social recruiting tools with features like application-tracking systems can help you stay in compliance and build a documented record of that compliance. Automated forms and digital acknowledgment of certain policies and procedures are other ways to make sure no compliance items fall through the cracks.
Recruiting Technology Trends
There will be over two billion mobile Internet users worldwide. If those users are looking for work, they’ll likely use their mobile devices to do so. Technology has to be a cornerstone of your recruitment strategy. To make sure your organization nabs the top candidates, here are the social recruiting trends to pay attention to this year.
- Employer branding: Your company’s image is the best recruitment tool you have. As candidates become more informed, they also become pickier about where they want to work. Be sure to monitor, mold, and modify your employer brand to represent what you have to offer and why candidates should join your team.
- Beef up security: More mobile users means more personal data at risk. Every time a big company hack hits the headlines, users become warier of sharing their personal information. Review your data security protocols and make sure the candidate and employee data is protected.
- Gamification and machine learning: More employee training and recruiting is being done through machine learning and gamification. This technology learns user habits and preferences to streamline the user experience and transform rote training into an engaging experience that tracks skill level, progress, and mastery. Two new human resources tools to look for next year are Phenom People, a customizable mobile job application service, and Simppler, a data-driven employee referral tool.
Putting together the right team is a science and an art. Recruiting technology helps you blend the two, making the search for the perfect candidate a lot easier. Upgrade your social recruiting strategy by utilizing the practices outlined above and brainstorming with other industry experts to identify the best approach for your 2016 social recruiting plan.
