Leveraging go2HR’s Social Media Outlets for Recruitment

According to Mindfield Group, Facebook is one of the most successful sites for recruitment activity, while Twitter, a free social networking and micro-blogging service, is quickly catching up.

Proving that social networking is more hip than hype, go2HR was quick to invest in its merits. Facebook, over one million potential applicants strong, was our first port of call. Our Facebook page, Move On Up with a Career in Tourism, is geared toward youth in Canada and has already attracted over 1,750 fans since July 2008.

So how can your business leverage go2HR’s Facebook page? Be sure to post your jobs on go2HR’s Job Board as they also appear on the Facebook page. Become a fan of our Facebook page and encourage your managers and employees to share their own “Move On Up” success stories as a way to promote your company. Let us know if your company is on Facebook, and we will link to your page. Read our full article on tips to make Facebook work for you.

With estimates of over six million unique visitors each month, there is no arguing that Twitter has an expansive reach. go2HR has actively tapped into the world of Twitter. Twitter allows you to push out job announcements to potential candidates, stay connected to a select group of people, and keep top candidates in the loop. Jobs posted on go2HR’s job board will also be re-posted on our Twitter account automatically.

It’s easy to sign up for Facebook and Twitter. Best of all, they’re free. Here are a few tips:

1. When creating an account, start with a user name that represents your company. Assign a key person to post updates and job openings as they become available.
2. Keep the conversation flowing. One of the benefits of social networking sites is that they engage your friends and contacts. Reply to posts, make sure updates are worthwhile and ask meaningful questions.
3. Measure the success of your efforts by including a track-able link to your website in your updates.
4. Build word of mouth by encouraging your Twitter followers to pass on job postings to friends and colleagues.
5. Encourage your key employees, such as your marketing and human resource team, to create their individual accounts to add personality to the company.
6. Combine Twitter and Facebook, cross-reference your various social networking accounts, to make the most of your efforts. For example, our corporate account combined with the job board feed on Twitter reach over 2,500 followers when we re-post a job opening found on the go2HR job board.
7. Keep on top of the trends, particularly when attracting a youth market. Stay creative, stay up-to-date and, above all, try to have a little fun.

If you are trying to drive more traffic to your website, new media is an excellent way to do this.

From a small B&B to multi-national hotel chains, companies around the world are making connections and building their business using social media.

Recruiting via social networking is a cost effective way to reach your target audiences, and build your brand as an employer of choice. Done correctly, it’s far more than hype; it’s a proven method of attracting the right candidates, at the right time.