Can Social Recruiting Software Help You Attract Qualified Candidates?
Is social recruiting software a wise investment or passing tech fad? One of the biggest challenges that HR professionals and business owners face is expanding their talent pool. Fortunately, you can use social recruiting tools to fill job openings with skilled employees. Social media is here to stay. Why not make the most of this resource and reach top applicants where they spend most of their time online. And it’s not just digital natives that frequent sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. Even older generations are turning to social media for the latest news and networking opportunities.
This article has all the info you need to attract top talent in record time. First, we’ll go over social recruiting software basics and benefits. Then highlight which features you should look for when choosing your new system. I’ll even explore the key differences between social and traditional recruiting so that you can determine which is best for your business before moving on to best practices, implementation steps, and challenges it can help you overcome. So, let’s kick things off with the primary functions of social hiring software and how it can help your HR team.
What Is Social Recruiting Software?
Before you start considering all the social recruiting software options available, you probably need to convince stakeholders that it’s worth the investment. Or, maybe you’re the primary decision-maker and the whole idea of social hiring is still shrouded in mystery. Have no fear because this section covers all the fundamentals; namely, the essential functions that social recruiting software can help you perform within your organization.
Attract Job Candidates
The primary function of social recruiting systems is to draw in qualified job applicants that have niche skills and expertise. For example, you’re looking for someone with customer service experience to step into a management role. Or, maybe you require a marketing expert to help prepare for an upcoming product launch. Simply put, social recruitment allows you to narrow the focus on attracting candidates with unique qualities or talents since you can specify your needs and use certain social media channels to promote job openings, as well as reach out to potential applicants through their social media profiles and invite them to apply.
Manage Applications
Another reason to invest in social recruitment software is to centralize and organize job applications. This is particularly important if you have a good virtual turnout and many people apply for the same position. For instance, you’re able to sort applications by skill or experience level so that it’s easier to find the perfect match. Many systems even feature candidate profiles that offer a detailed overview of their skill set and specializations.
Archive Resumes
Someone who applies for this job vacancy may not be the right fit. However, they might be the ideal person for a future position. In which case, you can draw from the resume archive to fill the opening immediately. You can also search through the archived applicants using targeted keywords and encourage them to reapply for this position, or even fast-track them through the interviewing and screening process to save time.
Collect Recruitment Metrics
One of the most valuable social recruitment software functions is analytics. These tools give you the opportunity to track applicants and determine the best hiring approach. For example, these social media platforms bring in the most qualified candidates. You’re also able to monitor your current employees to identify gaps in your organization, such as skills or core competencies you lack so that you can add them to your social recruiting requirements.
Perks Of Implementing Social Recruitment Systems
The idea of social recruiting sounds great, but can it actually benefit your business? How can it help you find qualified candidates that may have been out of reach before? Is it really the most cost-effective way to fill job openings and venture into new markets? Here are some of the top perks of implementing social hiring systems, regardless of your business size or budget.
Expedite The Recruiting Process
More often than not, you need to fill positions right away. Thus, a lengthy recruitment process is not only costly in terms of marketing but can decrease job productivity. Everyone else has to pick up the slack while you find the ideal new hire. Social recruiting tools speed up the process by automating most of the work. For example, you use AI recommendations and built-in filters to zero in on the top 5 qualified applicants instead of spending weeks searching online or posting generic job ads that are, ultimately, fruitless.
Tap Into A Global Talent Pool
Social media recruiting allows you to expand your reach and find the right person for the job, regardless of their physical location. This is particularly useful for remote work teams who want to make the most of global talents. For instance, you can search international LinkedIn profiles or post a link to your job listing on Twitter. You’re no longer limited by local job boards or on-site hiring fairs that only cater to a small group of applicants.
Get Team Leaders Involved
Managers can also access the system to view job applications and resumes as well as customize recruitment specs to bridge departmental gaps. For example, they need someone with experience in the industry and specific certifications or degrees. Recruitment is no longer reserved for the HR department. Every leader can step into the role of hiring manager, temporarily, to enrich their team.
Ensure A Cohesive Online Presence
Many systems feature a personal hiring page and other tools that allow you to incorporate your branding. Plus, everything is centralized so you’re able to maintain a cohesive online presence to attract top talent. People are more likely to apply for the job if their potential employer has their act together. For instance, all their job board listings, landing pages, and social media profiles reflect the same image and messaging. It boosts credibility so that you draw in the right crowd instead of casual job seekers.
Utilize Your Employee Network
Another benefit of social recruiting software is maximizing your employee network. They can share job posts with their Facebook groups and followers to expand your reach, especially if you let them know your hiring requirements, courtesy of the social recruiting system metrics. You can even send out reminders or notifications to employees when it’s time to find skilled applicants.
Reduce Hiring Costs
Above all, social recruiting helps reduce hiring costs because you don’t spend as much time finding top talent. Not to mention, you maximize the benefits of your existing job marketing efforts. As an example, you already have a paid job listing. Thus, you can use social hiring software to promote the listing on all the popular channels to boost ROI. Another cost-cutting perk is finding new hires that meet all your requirements. These staffers are easier to train because they already have the essentials, which reduces L&D expenses.
What Is The Best Social Recruitment App For Your Business? 9 Key Features To Consider
Now that we’ve covered what social recruiting software does and how it contributes to your business, let’s zero in on the must-have features. While every organization has different HR needs and hiring practices, there are a few quintessential selling points EVERY system must deliver. For example, vendor support and training to maximize functionality. Below are 9 key features you should look for when vetting vendors and evaluating their USPs.
Intuitive UI
Everyone should be able to use the recruitment software to bring in new talent and look through archived resumes rather than having to deal with an overly complicated UI that requires a degree in rocket science. Thus, the first item on your wish list should be a user-friendly interface. One that’s easy to navigate and customize based on your team’s needs, even if they’ve never used social hiring software before.
Built-In Reports
All social recruiting tools need built-in metrics to help you track your hiring strategy and make changes, as well as evaluate the performance of certain ads and manage applicants in one centralized location. In other words, your new system should deliver robust reports and data visualizations. For instance, charts and graphs to help you find candidates that match your hiring profile based on their skills or niche expertise.
Integrations
Many social recruiting tools support integrations, such as single sign-on and calendars. This makes it easier to integrate new software into your existing IT ecosystem rather than having to invest in replacement tools that do mesh with the social recruitment app. In fact, if the vendor website doesn’t list integrations, you should include them in your RFP. Better yet, reach out to inquire about which apps they do support to ensure compatibility.
Personalized Recruitment Site
Another standout feature that most social recruiting systems now provide is a customizable web page. You can add new job postings, team images, and a company bio to attract qualified candidates. This is also a great place to post all your social media links and job listings, as well as contact info so that people can reach out with questions or clarify the job requirements.
Referral Program Support
Maybe you already have a referral program in place or want to launch one to boost your social recruitment efforts. Either way, the tool should make it easy for employees to refer peers who check all the items on your list. In fact, some even include gamification features, such as points for staffers who refer the most people or a leaderboard that sparks friendly competition.
AI Recommendations
The AI capabilities vary based on the social recruitment software. However, many feature AI recommendations and candidate sourcing. Some even have embedded scoring systems so that you can focus on hiring KPIs and screening criteria, in addition to quick search tools that allow you to find applicants within the system. Of course, the system should also give you the opportunity to invite candidates from a large selection of social media channels, like Facebook, LinkedIn, and job boards.
Applicant Tracking
You need to be able to organize all the data and track applicants as they move through the process. Many social recruitment tools monitor candidates every step of the way, not just during recruitment. For example, you can push them through to the next round of interviewing or screening, or even set up the onboarding process so that they get a head start on gap-bridging and orientation.
Collaboration Tools
Every member of the hiring team must be able to communicate and take care of their respective tasks, preferably without having to use another tool to collaborate. Thus, you should look for social recruitment software with built-in chats, scheduling, and task delegation. For example, the HR manager can assign an employee to a new hire interview next week. Then the said staffer can add the candidate screening and interview evaluation data to the system right away.
Customer Training Resources
Last, but not least, no social recruitment software is complete without vendor support and training, even if it’s just a basic online knowledge base and email support. The key is to find a system that aligns with your team’s needs. For instance, they may require more advanced support services because they have limited IT know-how. In which case, you should focus on vendors with online user communities, video demos, tutorials, and live chat support.
Social Hiring Versus Traditional Recruiting: 5 Crucial Differences
How does social hiring differ from traditional recruitment? Should you use a hybrid approach or transition to social recruitment for your organization? Many companies are gradually transitioning to social hiring because it’s more results-driven and stretches available resources. However, you need to evaluate your own HR aims to find the best fit for your business. Here are 5 crucial distinctions between traditional and social recruiting that you should consider before making your final decision.
Brand Integration
Traditional recruitment efforts usually involve generalized job postings that don’t really reflect your image. Social recruiting gives candidates a feel for your identity and core values even before they join the team. For example, you can launch a hiring page that outlines all the hiring details in your own words, as well as pics of your workforce or the facility. In short, it personalizes your recruitment efforts so that applicants know if they’re a good match for your organization.
Accessibility
Generally, traditional recruiting strategies have a limited range. You only have time to focus on specific job listing sites or advertising methods. On the other hand, the sky is the limit with social recruitment. You can reach out to all the most popular social media platforms, job boards, and forums. You can also make the most of SEO to draw in qualified applicants who may not have found your listing otherwise. For instance, your hiring page features articles or blog posts with targeted SEO keywords. Thus, you rank higher in the SERPs and increase your online visibility.
Candidate Pre-Screening
Everyone can apply for job openings when you use traditional recruitment tools, regardless of their skills or experience level. However, social recruiting tools let you pre-screen candidates to find the ideal fit for your business. For instance, you know about their work history, which professional groups they belong to, and their personal interests. You can also see if past employers and colleagues have left comments raving about their work ethic or hidden talents.
Investment
Many organizations dread the hiring process because it’s so costly. It’s not just the job ads you have to worry about, but all the payroll expenses. For example, your HR team needs X hours every week to post new ads, vet candidates, and schedule interviews. Social recruitment software streamlines the entire process so that you pay less out of pocket. Better still, you achieve maximum results and alleviate HR workload.
Data Management
Data management, collection, and analysis are other crucial areas where traditional versus social recruitment differ. You can proactively search for potential candidates in the archives, as well as review analytics to improve your hiring strategy. For instance, reports help you determine which skill set to look for and which candidates are a good fit for your team as opposed to traditional hiring methods, which usually have scattered data based on your advertising method. Or, in some cases, you have to manually compile candidate info and make sense of the metrics yourself.
5. Which Hiring Challenges Can Social Recruitment Help You Overcome?
The bottom line is that social recruiting software needs to address your pain points without going over budget. It must help you resolve hiring issues and attract qualified candidates to warrant the investment. Otherwise, it’s more cost-effective to simply stick with your traditional hiring strategy instead of implementing a new system. Here are 5 common obstacles that social recruiting tools can overcome.
Limited Talent Pool
You must be able to attract fresh talent that possesses all the right skills and industry knowledge; otherwise, you won’t fill existing gaps or your entire organization will stagnate. Another potential risk is finding employees with redundant skill sets. Social recruiting helps you expand the talent pool and have more options when it’s time to hire. For example, you can create social media posts, job board listings, hiring sites and draw from your resume database. Not to mention, you get to specify what you’re looking for and how applicants can show off their expertise, like requiring them to submit a work sample along with their resume.
Mismatched Job Applicants
The tricky thing about traditional hiring is you never know who might apply. This is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you mind find a diamond in the rough. On the other, you may end up with hundreds of resumes for underqualified candidates because there’s no way to weed them out. Social recruiting software allows you to focus on job applicants who meet all your standards because they have all the hiring details. They know which talents you need and a complete job description. You can also contact qualified candidates personally through social media and request their resumes.
Ineffective Employee Screening
Another challenge that social hiring tools can help you overcome is an ineffective candidate screening process. As we all know, what goes on social media, stays on social media. You can even tell a lot about someone’s personality or work ethic by their posts. Or, more importantly, what other people post about them on their page. Furthermore, social media recruitment allows you to verify all their info, such as where they worked previously and if they have any special degrees or certifications.
Long Job Vacancies
Most organizations have dealt with this at one time or another. A job position sits vacant for weeks, or months, while you wait for the perfect candidate. Social recruitment is a more proactive approach that fills vacancies in record time. In fact, you don’t have to wait for applicants to come to you, as you can find them directly on social media. For example, it’s taking longer than expected to find a top-notch sales manager. You can’t promote from within, for one reason or another, so use the software search filters and candidate sourcing features to attract new applicants and expedite the process.
Costly Recruitment
I’ve mentioned this perk before, but it’s worth mentioning again because it’s such a significant hurdle: You can’t spend your entire HR budget on recruitment because there are other tasks to consider, like hiring, onboarding, and payroll processing. However, you still need talented team members to ensure long-term success and business growth. Social recruitment systems make it more cost-effective to find the right people with the right mindset.
Social Recruitment Best Practices Every SMB Should Know
Like any other tool, you need to how to maximize social recruiting software to get top ROI. Luckily, there are a few common best practices that can help you make the most of your new social hiring system. These insider secrets are also ideal for HR and L&D professionals who are new to the world of social recruitment so that you can start qualifying job candidates and reviewing resumes as soon as possible.
Optimize Your Social Media Presence
You should also have a solid social media foundation before starting the recruitment process. For instance, you should have a profile/page on all the popular platforms. And, all those pages should contain essential contact and business info, such as website links, a company bio, and relevant images. While the software will automate a variety of tasks, like sourcing candidates, it won’t set up your entire social media presence. In fact, you may want to create a team to manage your pages and update them frequently.
Encourage Employees To Spread The Word
One of your trusted employees may have a friend of a friend who’s the perfect match for your job opening. So, encourage your team to spread the word via their online network. Make it easy for them to share links and job postings on their page. You can also set up an internal job board so that they can see what’s available and which qualifications you’re looking for.
Host Online Events
Why not host tie-in recruitment events online to raise awareness and get more people to apply? This gives job applicants the chance to ask questions directly about their potential roles and responsibilities. Another benefit is that you get to interact with applicants via video conferencing. For instance, see how effectively they communicate and if they’re able to articulate themselves or if they focus more on salary and benefits than what they can contribute to your organization.
Streamline The Application Process
Applying for a job shouldn’t be like jumping through burning hoops. You need to streamline the process so that qualified people don’t drop off before they reach the interviewing phase. As an example, they send their application and resume through the hiring portal. You tell them in advance how long it will take to review all the applications and when you’ll make your decision. That way, they know what to expect and don’t follow up too early or move on to the next job opening before you have a chance to interview them.
Evaluate Relevant Metrics
The beauty of social media recruitment is that you have access to valuable big data. But you need to know how to use it to boost your hiring efforts. First off, create the ideal employee profile so that you know which skills or competencies you need. Then match these up with relevant KPIs and reports so that you can evaluate your hiring system and individual applicants. For instance, one marketing method isn’t living up to expectations, or maybe you’re attracting underqualified candidates because you’re using the wrong channels.
Don’t Overlook Internal Talent
There may already be an employee who can step in or cross-train for the position. As a matter of fact, before you post on broad social media channels, create a job listing for internal talent. For example, post it on your closed social media group that’s exclusively for team members. Or, create an internal job board where go-getters can look for advancement opportunities. Not only will this maximize in-house talent, but help you retain top performers.
Build Rapport
While social media recruitment is less time-consuming, you still need to do some candidate outreach. As an example, an applicant leaves a question on your Facebook job posting. You should reply promptly to build rapport and show that you’re serious about hiring. Other candidates may have the same question and they can refer to the post. They also see that you responded to the original commenter, which builds credibility for your business.
Steps To Incorporate Social Recruiting Platforms Into Your Existing Strategy
Many organizations assume that they’ll have to overhaul their entire recruiting process if they opt for social hiring. However, in most cases, you can simply incorporate it into your existing approach to lower the learning curve; not to mention, reduce costs and avoid putting your entire recruitment plan on hold while you implement the new software. Follow these 7 steps to add social recruitment tools to your current HR strategy.
Assess Your Current Recruitment Plan
Before you can incorporate recruitment software into your strategy, it’s best to outline what that strategy is. What are your current gaps and goals? Which tools do you use? Which team members are involved? This also gives you a better idea of how the new social recruitment system will address pain points and mesh with your existing infrastructure. For example, you need these specific CRM integrations to maximize value for money.
Create A Must-Have Features List
Compile an essential features list based on your current recruitment shortcomings. Start with the 9 selling points that I mentioned earlier in this guide, then add your own must-have functions. For example, you need a tool that also handles onboarding and more advanced applicant tracking capabilities. Or maybe you require 24/7 vendor phone support to lower the learning curve for your team.
Gather Employee Feedback
Speaking of your team, you should also get their feedback to find the best tool for the task. This also helps you identify hidden gaps in your recruitment and hiring process. Business reports and needs analyses will only get you so far. You also need to gather input from your employees. For instance, your HR employees find it difficult to import resumes with the current system. Or, they’re unable to share job listings on several social media platforms simultaneously.
Vet Vendors
Qualify social recruiting software vendors to see if they meet all your expectations and buying requirements. They should already have a website and a strong social media presence, of course. But, you can also reach out directly to learn more about their product and how it will help you overcome recruitment challenges. In fact, send them a list of questions based on employee feedback and organizational objectives. For example, you want to venture into new markets or onboard 50 employees in the next month. Is their tool up to the challenge?
Create An Implementation Schedule
Create a schedule that outlines the social media recruitment software implementation process from start to finish. That includes analysis, vendor vetting, and software research, in addition to setting up and customizing the system. This timeline also helps you identify potential risks. For instance, you may need to hire an IT consultant to integrate the recruitment app with your existing software suite. Therefore, you have to account for these costs and additional time in your implementation schedule.
Sign Up For Free Trials
Most vendors offer free trials or demos so that you can test out the tool before making your final decision. In many cases, it’s 2 to 4 weeks, which gives you enough time to evaluate the UI, reporting features, and AI recommendations. Ask the software provider about the terms and conditions beforehand. As an example, the free trial may have limited features and you must pay to unlock the full version of the software.
Create A Software Launch Team
Some organizations choose to gather a software launch dream team to facilitate the process. They should be involved from day one to help identify your system requirements and set the schedule. In fact, you may want to have someone from each department create a more holistic game plan. To illustrate, your HR manager has different social recruiting software expectations than your customer service supervisor. They’ll both use the tool to find new recruits and fill vacancies but, their roles call for different functionalities.
Conclusion
Social recruitment software can help you broaden your reach and tap into the power of online networking. It allows you to reduce hiring costs, screen candidates, and centralize your HR records. But, it all hinges on the right tool for your team. Fortunately, our exclusive directory features the leading vendors for every industry, price point, and customer type. You can even evaluate ratings and reviews to determine which system delivers maximum value for money, in addition to a complete features list so that you can weigh all the options and speed up the search process.
Download the eBook Social Recruiting Software: How To Attract Top Talent In Record Time for exclusive content that shows you how to set a realistic budget for your social recruiting system. It covers all the essentials so that you can create a software shopping list and stick to your budget. Get your copy today to invest wisely and expand your talent pool rapidly.