Do you remember the days when Monster, CareerBuilder, and Craigslist were the only options to recruit online? Employers that relied on these online job boards were spammed with hundreds of unqualified candidates, which made recruiting a nightmare.
However, now that social media is in the mix today, recruiting is easier and more streamlined. LinkedIn has 450 million members (VentureBeat, 2016), and 32 percent of employed adults are avid LinkedIn users. This opens up more opportunities for employers to find the right candidates and in less time. As a result, LinkedIn has become the recruiting method of choice for employers.
Steps for Successful Recruiting on LinkedIn
So, now that you have an overview of the large world of LinkedIn, and how it can help you connect with the right candidates for the job, here are some beginner steps for recruiting on LinkedIn.
Social Recruiting
Potential candidates use LinkedIn in a variety of ways. They create professional profiles that make them attractive to various employers as well as connect and network with other like-minded professionals. Many LinkedIn users also rely on the platform to expand their networks in other industries.
Employers can look at a potential candidate’s profile, see a candidate’s contacts; his or her level of participation in various groups, associations, and/or organizations; and overall personality and character.
Most LinkedIn users are also referred to as “actively passive job seekers”, which means that they may not be actively seeking another job, but may consider one should a dream job come their way. All in all, the overall attention to detail and effort that a candidate has put into his or her profile says a lot about their personality as well as their willingness to consider new positions.
Referral Recruiting
LinkedIn can also be used for referral recruiting through employees. In fact, studies have shown that referral recruiting takes less time, is more cost effective, and helps to reduce turnover rates.
When employers encourage employees to refer potential employees, they not only gain a number of resources helping them to find qualified candidates, but employers also reduce their recruiting and hiring time.
For example, it takes employers an average of 39 days to find and hire a candidate through a traditional job posting. However, with referral recruiting, the average time is reduced to only 29 days. And with the power of LinkedIn, employees can refer candidates to employers easier than ever by simply sharing the profile of a potential candidate.
Referral recruiting is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. When friends help hire friends, turnover goes down. An easy way to get your employees to refer their friends is to provide them with an easy platform to share your open positions from, like Haiilo.
Employer Branding
Not only is LinkedIn great for recruiting, but it also gives an employer a chance to boost branding. Employers can create company pages, join LinkedIn groups in relevant industries, and get involved in industry discussions. Companies can really showcase themselves to be even more attractive to potential applicants.
LinkedIn is also one of the most effective channels for Employee Advocacy. Despite popular belief, Employee Advocacy is just as effective for small businesses as it is for large businesses and corporations. In fact, according to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, even a small staff of 20 means a potential reach of 5,000 contacts and candidates.
Why Employers Should Build a Bigger Presence on LinkedIn
All in all, social media has become an online community that is not only designed for friends and family and sharing cat photos, but it is also a great opportunity for co-workers, employees, and employers to connect for social recruiting, referral recruiting, establishing a company brand and increasing Employee Advocacy. This is why many companies and employers are building a bigger presence on LinkedIn.
Recruiting on LinkedIn is much easier, less time-consuming, more targeted and more streamlined than any online job board used in the past. Employers can now save time, money, and increase their reach to the right candidates and at the right time for the job.
