Since most jobs are snagged through personal connections, who you know has always been important. Now, the ubiquity of social networks has added another consideration: Who are you connected to online? As it turns out, that’s an important question for hiring managers, too. Potential employees aren’t the only ones using social networks; savvy recruiters are also using their online networks to expedite the hiring processes.
Why? First, social networking sites can make a candidate’s hunt less tedious. In the old recruitment regime, employers posted on job boards and waited for applicants to respond. Here’s the problem with that system: especially in today’s market, such announcements are likely to bring in a tsunami of resumes. Thanks to social networking sites, you can now be more selective with your job announcement. Since most networking sites allow searches of their members, you can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend looking for candidates.
In fact, many companies are now using social networks where they might have used headhunters in the past: to find so-called passive candidates, those who are already successfully employed in a similar role. LinkedIn and other business networking sites are akin to virtual directories for passive candidates across the country. According to Business Week, recruiters at companies like Starbucks and Microsoft comb through social networking sites, looking for potential candidates.
An even more effective way to harness the power of social networks is to take advantage of your own connections. Just as employers are more likely to hire people with whom they have a personal connection, job seekers find referrals and personal interactions more effective than other forms of employment advertisement. Professional networking sites like LinkedIn allow members to search their own connection pool. Just type in what you’re looking for, and a location (if applicable), and you’ll find a bevy of talent within your own circle. Or—even simpler—post an update to let your circle know that you’re on the lookout for talent. That recruitment method could turn up the right candidate before lunch–after all, you never know which of your closest friends knows the perfect person for the job.
But the benefits of using online social networks don’t end at “You’re hired!” Those who are hired through connections from online networks are often more comfortable in their new workplace than those who are hired traditionally. Ed Scanlan, founder of a legal outsourcing firm in Chicago, has found that “hires who come through referrals tend to fit the culture better—and to stick around.” This makes sense. Social networks often cut through the kind of small talk we all use to find similarities with those around us. If you’re digitally linked with your new boss or colleague, you probably already know what you have in common.
Ultimately, social networks can make any hiring manager’s job much easier. Of course, in order to use social networks to their fullest potential, you must be honestly, consistently engaged in the networks you hope to tap. So, even if your firm (like so many others) is holding off on hiring for the moment, you can prepare for future hiring by expanding your online networks.
~Monica Nolan, Account Manager
PeopleMetrics
Additional Resources:
Setting Up New Hires for Success: How to Increase Employee Engagement from Day One
How to Find your Dream Employer
Dream Jobs: Companies with the best Employee Engagement Scores
Top photo by Santiago Rodriguez.
Tags: hiring, LinkedIn, Online social networking, social networking sites
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