The do's and don'ts of social media recruiting

Companies that aren't advertising their available jobs on social networking sites may be missing out on a huge pool of potential candidates. Studies show that more than 90 percent of recruiters supplement their talent hunting with posts on popular social media websites, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Employers who have just started using social media to attract job applicants may not have figured out the best way to leverage the sites. Here are some tips on which tactics to use - and which not to use - when recruiting on social platforms.

Don't: Jump in without a strategy
Social media sites can connect companies with qualified candidates, but social recruiting may not be as effective if there's no strategy behind it. Hiring managers should figure out what platforms will be most beneficial, identify the target audience and plan supplementary content for the site.

Do: Post more than jobs
One of the major benefits of social media is that it allows people to get a sense of a company's personality, so to speak. Job seekers want to be able to interact with organizations on social media, not just read static job listings. For this reason, it's often beneficial for employers to post content other than job listings on their social sites. This could be articles from the company blog or related news pieces.

Don't: Ignore followers
Similarly, social media coordinators should respond to commenters on social media sites to assure candidates that the company is interested in building relationships. Employers who have adequate resources may want to consider appointing an employee to interact with followers on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn on a regular basis.

Do: Share company culture
In addition to more serious social media posts, it's worthwhile for companies to share sneak peaks into the organization's culture. Photos of the workplace, employee profiles and details on company events may all be of interest to job seekers and encourage them to apply for positions. After all, a suitable corporate culture is often high on candidates' wish lists.

Do: Follow recruiting best practices
While social media platforms are meant to be interesting and engaging, there are still some unspoken rules that companies should follow. Here are some basic guidelines for interacting with job seekers on social media:

• Keep it professional. It's OK to be friendly with followers, but companies need to keep up a professional appearance.
• Be consistent with messaging. It will be confusing to followers if an organization posts conflicting ideas across social media platforms.
• Be honest with candidates. If a job seeker asks a question about a negative aspect of the company, don't simply ignore the comment - answer it truthfully and note how the organization is working to improve the situation. Job seekers will appreciate the honesty.
• Promote employee referrals. Companies should encourage their current staff members to share social media posts relating to open positions. After all, employee referrals often lead to the best hires.

This content brought to you by the Marketing Team at Beacon Hill Staffing Group.