Using Facebook as a Recruitment Tool

Recruitment is changing. No longer can hiring managers base their hires on CV’s alone. But what other alternative is there? One is social media.

In the past, social media was viewed only as a tool to connect with old high school friends, but social has matured. It is no longer one-dimensional.

People are now more aware of what they post on social media, recognising that it could potentially be read by employers.

But for hiring managers, social media provides an endless opportunity to seek and reach out to qualified candidates.

The most underappreciated social platform for recruitment is Facebook.  It is the world’s largest social media platform. LinkedIn comes in at number 12 in terms of users and popularity.

Wouldn’t it make more sense, then, to explore Facebook as a recruitment tool?

This article will provide a compelling argument for using Facebook as a recruitment tool, and provide a few tips to do so properly.

Facebook’s Recruitment Potential

 Facebook has over 2 billion active users signed up and logged in every year. And those numbers continue to climb. The social platform increased in users some 21% in December 2016 alone. Those users are actively using the platform to share stories, images, and job histories both publicly and to their local network.

Facebook also has some 100 million members involved with private groups. These groups provide potential marketing and networking opportunities for recruiters. Companies use groups to connect with job candidates in an informal, low-pressure environment.

Of the 2 billion active users, more than 307 million of them are in Europe—this is great news for UK based recruiters.

And whilst LinkedIn caters to professionals aged 30 years or older, Facebook’s demographic is young people aged 25 to 34 who make up some 29.7% of their entire user base. This largely untapped marketplace makes the platform a hotbed for affordable talent.

Perhaps Facebook’s greatest value as a recruiting tool is in its data. Users willingly share detailed information about their work histories, location, education, and relationships on their profiles. This data is collected and much of it is shared publicly, which in turn makes it rather easy to search for specific types of job candidates.

Interestingly, some 52% of job seekers use Facebook to locate job opportunities, according to Mashable. Clearly, then, Facebook is a place where job candidates are—which begs the question, why aren’t hiring managers using it?

As it turns out, savvy hiring managers are using Facebook to find candidates. The lack of competition in this arena makes the platform an excellent avenue for high-quality job recruitment with reduced costs.

If you aren’t familiar with how to use Facebook for recruiting, here are a few helpful recommendations.

How to Use Facebook as a Recruitment Tool

Since we’ve already established that Facebook is a worthwhile recruitment tool, it’s now time to explain how to use it as one.

There are several options, but one of the simplest is to start by using the search bar at the top of the page and type your query. Depending on the position you need to be filled, it might look something like this:

“Corporate Finance Managers who live near Liverpool”

Or

“People who like software programming and live near Liverpool”

The idea is to list either the title or the occupation that you need a qualified candidate for and the location. Once you do this, you can hit the ‘search’ button and a list of public profiles should pop up. You’ll want to start with a broad focus and then narrow your search with creative inputs.

Remember that Facebook’s search results are based on your unique profile and search history, so doing this as a team will turn up better results.

If you want to dig a bit deeper than individual profiles, Facebook provides other opportunities as well.

Other ways to use Facebook as a recruitment tool include employment branding and community building.

For example, Facebook allows you to create a company page and fill out your careers tab—which helps you let candidates know what positions are open.

Start by developing a strategy that targets the right job seekers. Ask yourself what kind of content will attract the right job seekers? What are some ways you can communicate your company’s culture? Will you have an application process set up on the page? What’s your approach to engaging with job seekers?

Lay the foundation for the type of branding you wish to do and then create a strategy that aligns with your answers. Consistency is important to candidates, so follow a single theme to avoid confusing them.

You can build your community and your brand simultaneously by painting a picture of what your company does, how it does it, and the type of environment your employees work in. All of these can peak the interest of potential candidates and aid in your recruitment process. However, there are a few more ways to maximise Facebook’s recruitment potential.

Tips for Using Facebook for Recruitment

The best recruiters are strategic in their use of Facebook. Here are a few ways you can get the most from the platform.

-Use Attention Grabbing Job Posts

Facebook, unlike LinkedIn, allows you to use video and images to tell your brand's story. Use it along with catchy content to attract the attention of job seekers. Start by doing research and ask colleagues what they love about working for your company. Highlight their responses in your job posts.

You can also use videos. Facebook seemingly gives video ads more impressions. Get creative and develop a video that will speak to your audience.

-Use your employee’s immediate network

Tap into your employee’s networks by searching their friend's list with similar interests. As you do, you could find qualified candidates just waiting for you to message them. The first step to do this is to get your employees to like your company’s Facebook page. As they connect you can connect to their network and so on. Send out an email with your Facebook URL page to broaden your reach.

-Making the connection

Facebook’s search graph wasn’t set up for recruitment, which might mean you need to get creative with how you connect with potential employees. Whilst Facebook does have a messenger option, messages from non-immediate connections are rerouted to an inbox your candidate won’t see. However, you can connect with them either via a mutual connection (by asking for an introduction) or do a quick Google search and locate an email to send them a message through.

Conclusion

Facebook’s job candidate field is ripe for the picking. Individuals you can find there might not be on other platforms like LinkedIn. Take advantage of this endless potential by using our suggestions. You never know what candidate could take your company to the next level.