By Emma Fitzpatrick
Think back to 2011. It doesn’t seem that long ago. But then, Snapchat had just launched and only had 127 users in its first season, and only 35% of American adults owned a smartphone, according to 2011 Pew Research.
Flash forward to 2017, Snapchat now has 173 million daily active users, and the latest data shows that the average 10-year-old has a smartphone.
A lot can change in six years—especially these six years. The exponential growth of smartphones, cellular networks, and digital startups has altered virtually every aspect of our lives—including recruiting. Now, 84% of organizations recruit via social media, compared to only 56% in 2011.
If you’re ready to dive into the world of social media recruiting (or improve what your bank is already doing), read on to learn the latest tips and tricks.
Recruiting on social works.
Before we dive in too deep, let’s cover the basics. You can find someone on social to fill nearly any position. Most commonly, companies use social media to recruit salaried, non-management employees, followed by management, hourly employees, and executive management.
Plus, you can find better talent quicker. Yes—59% of recruiters rate candidates discovered on social media as the “highest quality,” and employees hired on LinkedIn are 40% less likely to leave the company within the first six months. To top it off, 62% of organizations say recruiting on social decreases the time to fill the position.
The best social networks to recruit employees.
When you think “recruiting” and “social media,” LinkedIn is probably the first platform you’d try—and you’d be in good company. Some 96% of human resource professionals use LinkedIn for recruiting, making it their top social media network to find new talent. Those looking for a job, though, choose Facebook. According to an annual recruiting survey by Jobvite, 67% of job seekers now use Facebook in their job search.
That’s why Facebook and LinkedIn are the top two best networks to recruit talent. Twitter used to be a bigger player in the recruiting game. But from 2014 to 2015, recruiters used Twitter nearly 20% less.
On the flip side, Instagram’s newfound success hasn’t translated to recruiting—at least not yet. For now, use Instagram to showcase your company culture, and make an occasional call-out for job openings.
Tips for recruiting on Facebook.
- Post jobs on Facebook.
Did you know you could do that? You can now post, advertise, and accept applications directly on Facebook. Just click “Jobs” on the left-side menu on your Facebook Business page, and you can publish a job posting in under five minutes. All applications will be sent directly through Facebook Messenger, so be ready.
- Boost your job.
Now, you get to use Facebook’s incredibly detailed advertising filters to find your perfect candidate. Target based on geography, work experience, current job, education and so much more. Go crazy!
- Advertise your culture.
In addition to the above, create advertising campaigns on Facebook that focus on your company culture. Here, you want to inspire and sell passive job seekers on why your bank is the best place for them to work. Share employee photos, tell their stories, and always end with a call to action for people to apply for open jobs.
How to find new talent on LinkedIn.
- To pay or not to pay.
To host a job posting on LinkedIn, you must pay using a pay-per-click model. Or you can hack the system by posting the URL to specific jobs on your page. For this tactic to work, you need to have a substantial following on LinkedIn. Otherwise, no one will see it. If that’s not the case, invest in the other model.
- Search for the best.
Using LinkedIn’s advanced search, look for talent using specific keywords to fill a specific position. Use conjunctions like and, or, and not to connect keywords. Generally, most people on LinkedIn are open to job opportunities. But if you want to focus on those actively looking for a job, try adding phrases like “looking” or “new job” to your search. Then, connect with the individual, and send a personalized message. Pitch them on why your bank is a great place to work, flatter them about why you think they’re a great fit, and ask them to apply for a specific job.
- Stick to business hours.
LinkedIn is a professional network, so avoid sending personalized messages during evenings and weekends. Messages sent on Thursday between 9:00 and 10:00 a.m. are 12% more likely to get a response than those sent on Friday during the same time.
Emma Fitzpatrick is a Philly-based freelance writer and marketer, whose specialties include content marketing, social media marketing and short, snappy writing. Pick her brain at emma.l.fitzpatrick@gmail.com.
Online training in digital, mobile and social media from ABA.
