As businesses return in full-force following the easing of pandemic-era restrictions, many have turned to social media to recruit candidates to fill open positions. This makes sense when you consider the increased in social media use that has been observed since lockdowns began in early March of 2020. Even before the coronavirus hit, the number of working-age individuals on social media was enough to convince businesses and staffing agencies that it was time to go all-in on investing in digital campaigns.
In this article, I’ll explain what goes into an effective digital recruitment campaign and how to budget your most in a cost-efficient way that drives results.
1. Consider the Platform
Companies of all sizes spend too much time (not to mention a small fortune) trying to find the right workers. Whether it’s by utilizing expensive job placement agencies, spending time sifting through endless resumes from unqualified candidates, or just not getting any applications, there are plenty of struggles that even the most reputable companies face throughout the hiring process.
When it comes to a social media recruitment campaign, step one should be deciding which platform is going to deliver the best results. This is largely going to be dependent on your industry. For example, if you’re hiring for a mid-level management position, LinkedIn’s robust employment-focused platform can help you find qualified applicants with specific and relevant job experience. If you’re looking to add to your restaurant’s staff, Facebook and Instagram will be your best bet. These two platforms have a massive audience and are effective when your goal is to reach as many people as possible in the most budget-friendly way.
2. Show Off Your Advantages
Do you offer benefits that go beyond others in your industry? Made the list of “top companies to work for” in your area? Show it off to attract high-level talent!
Today’s job-seekers are in a unique position due to the demand for labor in today’s market. Whereas in the past they may have had to apply to a dozen companies just to land a few interviews, today they have to decide which recruiters to respond to, and which to ignore. This means businesses must look inward to determine what competitive advantages they have for their employees.
Once you’ve nailed down your biggest “why” when asking the question of why someone would want to work for your company, make that the focus of your advertisement’s creative. If you’re running recruitment ads, chances are other businesses in your industry are as well. Get a leg up by showing why you’re the better choice.
3. Follow Up Quickly
Searching for a job can be a frustrating process…to say the least. When a company waits several days, or even weeks, to respond to your application, the overall feeling toward that particular company is usually less-than-favorable.
It doesn’t matter how many job applications your recruitment ad is able to obtain if you don’t start following up immediately. Obviously you won’t be able to contact all applicants within 24 hours of receiving his or her resume, but contacting potential candidates quickly should be a priority.
The best candidates aren’t going to sit around waiting for a response from a company when other businesses have already contacted them regarding their application. Top talent doesn’t stay on the market for long. Being prompt and responsive as an employer is a great way to show a candidate that you value the time of your employees.
Finally, a timely follow-up allows employers to move on to other candidates should their preferred candidate choose to go in a different direction. The bottom line is that delaying your response for more than 72 hours is wasting the time of everyone involved in the job search process.
4. Ask Your Current Employees to Help
There’s no better endorsement of your company than a bunch of happy employees. For that reason, it’s beneficial to frequently post your employees having fun at work on various social media channels.
Most job-seekers are going to do some background research on a business before submitting an application. In most cases, this is going to involve looking through the company’s social media platforms as a way to get a feel for a company’s culture and personality. It’s crucial to be mindful of this when uploading new content to your Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles.
“But what do prospective employees want to see?” you might ask. To answer that question, ask your current employees – they know better than anyone else. Whether it’s a happy hour outing, employee appreciation luncheon, or any number of other events that you could classify as “having fun on the job,” make sure to document it on social media and you’ll have established a highly-effective recruiting tool without paying for any advertising.
Finally, when you post about job openings, ask your team to share it on their social media platforms. Chances are they have a friend with a similar skillset who might be a great fit for the company.
5. Reduce Friction During the Application Process
Almost everyone has had the experience of clicking on a recruitment ad and being directed to a complex application process that requires an hour or more of your time. If you’re like most, you never even reached the “submit” button because you lost interest along the way.
If you’re an employer hiring for a position that doesn’t require much (or any) prior experience or specific skills, it’s best to make the application process as friction-less as possible. Yes, you may end up with a large number of applicants to fill a small number of positions, but that’s better than the alternative…at least you have options.
Wrapping Up
Recruiting doesn’t have to be the pain-point it’s been in the past. In fact, it’s quicker and cheaper to find the right candidates than at any time in the past…as long as you’re taking advantage of the tools at your disposal.
If your business needs assistance in setting up and executing a recruitment campaign that doesn’t waste your budget, get in touch today to discover a strategy that really works.
