When meeting new people, whether in social settings or professional meetings or conferences, instead of asking for business cards or phone numbers, we’re seeing a new trend. “What’s your LinkedIn profile?” or “What’s your IG?” These social media avenues have become a personal stamp or signature, putting our own personal brand into the mix of celebrities, companies, and products. Of course, it makes sense then that companies would use social media to target new superstars to join their organization. But like with any new technology tool, companies must be careful with how they use social media for recruitment. It’s critical to represent your organization in the same way online as you would in a face-to-face meeting, and to be consistent with your approach. Here are a few do’s and don’ts for playing the social media recruitment game! Good luck!

Do’s

1. Do have a presence across various avenues of social media – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, YouTube…the options are endless!
2. Do make deliberate decisions – use a social media tool such as hootsuite.com to schedule posts and do your research to make sure you are posting at a time that will be effective for job seekers!
3. Engage in conversations – use LinkedIn group forums or respond to tweets and posts in order to engage your audience. If your presence is real and known, your results will be better!
4. Do use social media to conduct mini background checks…Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram all give a sneak peek into the candidate behind that professional resume. Social media is public information that you have access to, so use it!
5. Be consistent – this is a good business practice in general, but definitely applies to social media recruiting. Fair, equitable, and consistent postings and interaction with your audience are key to success in utilizing social media to benefit your organization and the HR department!

Don’ts

1. Miracles CAN happen….but don’t expect them to! Patience and diligence will pay off in the long run, even if it seems like a really long journey to get there.
2. Don’t count solely on social media. There are (GASP!) some people who do not use social media at all, so when advertising for certain positions, analyze the best places/tools to utilize to find your target audience.
3. Don’t make any guarantees online…again, social media is a public forum. Encourage everyone to apply equally, and follow up with qualified candidates by phone or email. Keep the process under wraps, while utilizing social media to broadcast open positions. Be smart about your postings, because EVERYONE can see them!
4. Don’t make decisions based solely on a candidate’s profile…follow all legal obligations and EEO guidelines throughout your recruitment and selection process.

Don’t write social media off as a passing trend…from MySpace in the early 2000s to the world of Instagram today, social media is here to stay. So accept it and use it to your advantage!