an essential checklist to build social recruiting strategy.

Businesses and their HR leaders are facing some pressing challenges regarding their future pipelines. Traditional hiring processes are hampering the access to better qualified candidates making identifying and attracting quality candidates, managing open positions and filling them in a timely manner an arduous task. No wonder, leading companies such as Uber Cabs, Twitter India, Aircel and Cognizant are increasingly leveraging social media tools to conduct social media drives. The reason? 



Social media platforms help directly engage with passive candidates, boost messaging to reach a finite demographic and target the ideal applicant. In fact, according to recent study by ADP more than 73% people have hired candidates using social media and 42% have ended up improving their quality of hires. An effective social media recruiting strategy provides a great way to showcase company culture, verify information and check candidate background and interact with potential hires who can be a great fit for the job and the company culture. Here is the essential checklist to build an engaging social recruiting strategy:  



✓ Show what your company stands for

A new LinkedIn survey indicates that  7 in 10 professionals refused to work at a top company if it meant having to endure a bad office environment. Social media is great way to showcase company values and the worth a company brings to employees. Build a brand manifesto and highlight the most appreciated parts of your company. For instance you can allow your employee to become the brand advocate and become the voice of the company. This will give candidates an insight into behind the scenes of your company.   



✓ Build connection with industry leaders

Target the ideal applicant by creating industry specific profile and establishing connection with industry leaders. Communicating to people on a personal level and appealing to their interests will help build a community of potential candidates and hire the right fit. Ernst &Young has more than 2 lakh followers on Facebook and they do 7% of their recruitment through social media. For using social advertisements to recruit, customize the ad’s audience to reach more realistic candidates. This will provide a unique advantage to establish organic conversation with the candidates and shortlist the candidates based on the relevant skills.   



✓ Tap into the right platforms

Recruiters should be flexible in the way they find most talented and qualified candidates. In India, 66% job seekers use social networking sites with Facebook topping the list, followed by LinkedIn. Since social media has a diverse pool of candidates, it is imperative to target the right platform based on the role the company is trying to fill. For instance a fashion influencer will spend more time on Instagram whereas a software expert on LinkedIn. Each platform also requires different approach to candidate sourcing. For instance on Facebook it may be easy to seek potential candidate on job groups and on Twitter through relevant and trending hashtags.



✓ Build an effective LinkedIn profile: 

In 2017, LinkedIn officially hit 530 million members. Making the most of LinkedIn can help companies tap experts in specialized fields and identify top talent and influencers. One way to reach the new employees is updating the profile and participating in LinkedIn groups. This will give an opportunity to attract the right professionals in a highly competitive niche. Companies can also build a right reputation and increase their LinkedIn reach by publishing highly specialized articles on LinkedIn Pulse. This will make it much easier to connect to top talent. 



The Takeaway: Once your company has built a strong social recruiting brand, leverage multiple digital opportunities such as building a mobile application to expand your hiring network and get a leg up on competitors. The more creative the recruiting methods, the more potential company have to identify standout candidates.