In one of our previous articles titled “Not Using Social Media For Your Job Search Is A Mistake,” we stressed the importance of using social media to your advantage when looking for a job. With the expansive network of professionals in various industries available at your finger tips, being able to connect with other like-minded individuals both within and outside of your desired industry has never been easier for job seekers. Because of this, it seems like using social media when looking for a job is a no-brainer.
On the flip side, employers should also be utilizing social media for the hiring process. While most of the emphasis of an organization’s social media use focuses on engaging customers, a social media presence can also be used to attract potential employees.
Content marketing veteran, Aaron Aigus, provides some statistics as to why companies should utilize various social networks in his latest article:
- 22% of the world’s population is on Facebook (statista)
- 530 million: Number of profiles on LinkedIn (Hutchinson)
- 51% of Instagram users scroll through their feeds daily (WordStream)
When job seekers are interested in working for a company, they likely (should) do their due diligence in terms of research. If they find the company attractive and are interested, following its various social media accounts will show the company’s brand. If the job seeker’s and company’s brands align, then the interest in potentially working there is already fostered.
Not sure how to market your company on social media? Aigus provides the following tips for employers:
Post Cultural Insights/Images Of Your Workforce
One of the biggest things job seekers look for in terms of potential employers is the office culture. Is the environment laid back (casual attire, flex hours, etc.) or is it strict (suit and tie, etc.)? Do employees work in cubicles or is it an open work space? These are big determining factors for job seekers as different people work best and/or are more productive in different environments.
By showcasing your office culture on social media, job seekers will be able to make a decision regarding office culture themselves before deciding to apply. Along with office culture environment, if you highlight current employees, potential new-hires can determine whether or not they would fit in as well.
Employee Advocacy
A great way to show employee feedback is to share testimonials about working for the company. When a job seeker sees an employee vouching for his or her company, it comes off as more genuine than seeing something from the CEO, as the job seeker can relate better to an employee.
If the company shares content via social media, having employees share it as well shows a sense of community and passion about their work. Not only that, but these “re-shares” have an increased engagement rate as well (8x as much, according to Paul Dunay).
Emphasize Benefits
An ideal situation for a job seeker is to have his or her choice of opportunity from multiple companies. If the job description and duties are similar, a determining factor (beyond salary) will likely be which company has a more attractive benefits package. Insurance (health, vision, dental, etc.) aside, the more a company can showcase its unique benefits to potential employees, the better.
For example, in my personal job hunt, I cam across a company that was dog-friendly. A work environment that has dogs frolicking throughout the office? Sign me up! However, if I was scared of dogs, or maybe didn’t like dogs (yeah, right), this would cause me to steer clear from applying. Luckily, the company makes it clear that dogs are welcome and an important part of office culture (relieving stress, etc.). However, if the company didn’t advertise this unique benefit of being able to bring your four-legged companion to work and I showed up for an interview as a non-pet person, I would certainly be taken aback.
With how competitive the job search can be for job seekers, employers also find it challenging to recruit top-notch talent. By differentiating themselves through company benefits, more people are likely to apply, creating a wider talent pool to choose from, thus making the hiring process easier.
Wrap Up
As job seekers, we are constantly being told that we need to find ways to differentiate ourselves from the crowd in order to stand out to employers. While finding a job can be a difficult process, companies also encounter challenges to stand out to job seekers. Since job seekers are using social media to find jobs, employers should also do so on their end! If you were a non-believer, social media is here to stay, so using it to its fullest ability will benefit you greatly as both an employee and employer.
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