What’s social recruiting, you might ask? Social recruiting is what companies and recruiters do when they use social media sites, like Twitter and Facebook, and professional networking sites, like LinkedIn, to find candidates for employment.
It might sound like a lot of work for the company, but, from the hiring perspective, it can be better to have a few good candidates for a job than lots of possibly unqualified candidates to weed through when you post on a job board and get hundreds of resumes.
The Dangers of Social Recruiting
One of the dangers of social recruiting from the job seeker perspective is that it blurs the boundaries between personal and professional networking. So, the more companies are using social recruiting, the more important it is to be really careful about what you post. Because everything you Tweet, post on Facebook, post on LinkedIn, blog, or post anywhere is going to be read by someone you know or by someone who knows someone (you get the idea).
On the Plus Side
On the plus side of the column is the fact that carefully using social media when you’re actively job hunting or growing your career can boost your job search, connect you with opportunities you didn’t know existed, and enhance your candidacy for employment.
Social Recruiting Tips
Think before you Tweet. If you’re looking for a job, don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to see. Do post news and professional commentary on your industry and career field.
Follow the important people in your field. Follow the main players in your industry. Follow companies you might like to work for. Follow news sites. Follow career and job search experts. You’ll make connections and get advice that will help expedite your job hunt.
Update your Facebook status with caution. Be careful what you say on Facebook. Again, you don’t know who is friends with whom and who is willing to share information about you. So, err on the side of being discreet when you’re job searching. And check your privacy settings.
Join Facebook and LinkedIn Groups. Join relevant Groups. You’ll find Groups for just about every industry, for companies, and for college and university alumni, for example. Post news and participate in discussions. You’ll increase your visibility and ability to get noticed by prospective employers.
© Copyright Alison Doyle, 2009. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
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Social Recruiting
