5 Strategies for Attracting Top Talent with Social Media Recruiting

Social media recruiting leverages social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and so on to discover, attract, and hire talent. The recruitment strategy provides many benefits by reaching passive candidates, attracting people who are a good culture fit, gaining more referrals, and establishing better connections with top talent. And according to the most recent statistics on social media recruitment, 94% of recruiters use social media and 70% of managers have had success hiring through social media. So if you’re not using social media as a recruitment tool, you may already be losing potential candidates to your competition. Here are 5 strategies for attracting top talent with social media recruiting:

1. Build your online reputation

Just as organizations use social media to vet potential candidates, job seekers use social media to analyze potential employers. And 79% of job seekers are using social media to search for jobs while 73% of job seekers aged 18-34 found their last job through social media.

Because potential candidates will likely search for you online, make sure your company’s social media accounts authentically and consistently communicate your organization’s vision, mission, and culture so you attract talent that aligns with your core values. Showcase your culture with creative content that is engaging, memorable, and shareable. Demonstrate your company culture through video testimonials from your employees and the content of your team-building events and other work-related activities.

2. Streamline your application process

If you’re advertising job openings on social media, you should also be prepared to accept applications through social media. This can mean having a dedicated team to respond to applicants commenting on your posts and directing them to the right channel where they can fill up an application form. It may be as simple as posting the email address where applicants can send their resumes; alternatively, you can add a link that will take applicants to your website’s recruitment page.

3. Leverage multiple social media channels

LinkedIn is indeed touted as a social media platform for professionals. However, not all candidates, especially passive ones, are on LinkedIn. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even TikTok can help you reach candidates across all demographics. To get the most out of these channels, understand how specific types of content stand out the most on certain platforms.

4. Post content regularly

It’s not enough to only post on social media whenever you have a job opening to advertise. Because building your brand’s online reputation is part of your social media recruiting strategy, you should be publishing content regularly. By being active on social media, you demonstrate to your audience and job seekers that you’re ready to connect, engage, and provide opportunities.

5. Add relevant hashtags to posts

Adding relevant hashtags to your posts gets you discovered by the right people. For example, a job posting for a pastry chef should include the hashtags #pastrychef #masterbaker, and #dessertartist. Your company should also have a branded hashtag so that all your posts are associated with your brand; this also helps build your online presence.