Social media has revolutionised the way employers find potential employees and with 1 billion users on Facebook and 200 million on LinkedIn, organisations have access to a broad candidate pool in a cost-effective way and at the click of a button. Whilst these channels may seem like the ideal place to source top talent, however, there are several points which organisations would be prudent to keep in mind:
- One pool does not reach all. Whilst social media can reach a large audience, it does not necessarily reach the right people. Those who rely on social media for recruitment purposes all share the same candidate database so there is a risk that qualified candidates without a social media presence will fall through the cracks.
- It neglects the passive. A heavy reliance on social media has led us to shun highly qualified but passive candidates, those individuals who are likely to be already happily employed and therefore not looking to make a move any time soon. In this case, the posting of job openings on social media may have little to no impact at all.
- Quantity does not necessarily mean quality. Those applicants who do have a presence in the social media sphere are able to tap into the concept that the more connections one has and the bigger their network, the more trustworthy they are and the more credibility they deserve—the ‘who you know’ factor—a wrongful assumption which businesses continue to make. Many connections made through social media are done hastily and do not even guarantee a personal meet up.
- You see what they want you to see. Despite the fact that these networks are increasingly considered as professional networks, candidates can easily tailor their profiles so that their weaknesses are hidden from others while their past responsibilities, achievements and experiences are blatantly displayed.
- No room for personal judgement. Social media leaves little room for personal judgement, which should still be taken into consideration when assessing a candidate’s fit with the role as well as with the company, however undergoing reference checks for candidates can solidify the credibility of the candidate’s résumé.
Despite the limitations of social media, it still stands as a suitable tool for supporting recruitment needs and, if utilised properly, can help companies to build their brand and position themselves as an excellent place to work, in turn attracting candidates.
Recruiting efforts should be an extension of the brand and portray an accurate image of the company so that candidates who apply for jobs will know whether they are the right fit.
FACT
Research from Bó Lè Associates showed that only 14% of respondents in the region use social media for recruitment purposes and it only ranked fourth in terms of the quality of applicants, behind referrals, internal transfers and direct sourcing, suggesting that social media is not always a favourable way to handle recruitment issues.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
