Things have changed a lot in the last few years when it comes to hiring new employees. Not only are today’s job seekers more specific about what they’re looking for in a potential employer, but they have plenty of options.
Furthermore, they aren’t willing to stick around at a company that doesn’t offer competitive wages, benefits, or a work environment that fosters growth. In fact, they’re quitting in record numbers through what has now been deemed as the Great Resignation. So, how do you find the right candidates for your business without all the hassle? Using social media platforms as a job recruitment tool is one option. Here is what you need to know about social recruiting in 2022.
Paid Social Media vs. Paid Hiring Platforms
Before we really dive into how you can use social media job postings in your hiring process, let’s step back a minute and talk about how the process differs from paid recruiter software hiring platforms such as Indeed or ZipRecruiter.
First, it is important to clarify that both have benefits. Job platforms are a great way to get in front of those actively searching for jobs but not really looking for a specific position within their chosen field. They are also a great idea if you want to have a pool of applicants and make a decision based on varied candidates.
Social media is a little bit different. When you use targeted hiring ads, you’re looking to reach out to those with specific experience, interests, or who have worked in a specific job role or for a competing company in the past. These postings are far more targeted, and the person who views them may or may not be actively looking for a new position.
To compare the two, you can look at it like this: Job boards are more of a passive approach to recruiting, while social media advertising is more active and positions your needs in front of someone who could easily fulfill it.
While the social media process isn’t ideal for every job position you want to fill, it is an excellent option if you have a highly niche or skilled need on your team.
How To Define Your Audience When Hiring
Of course, you don’t want to blast a social media job advertisement out to a large audience and hope for the best. Instead, it is always better to use demographics to help target the right applicant.
Why does this matter? To start, when you’re paying for ads, you want to make sure that only those who cover certain criteria actually view the ad. If not, you’ll end up with a bunch of applicants who aren’t a good fit or waste your ad spend on those who won’t ever be interested.
Here are a few examples of the types of demographics you’ll want to tailor your social media advertising audience to include:
- Current location, unless you have a remote position available
- College degree
- Work experience in specific roles or with competitors
Certain demographics you should not consider as part of your ad—such as anything having to do with gender, ethnicity, age, etc.
How To Maximize ROI When Hiring
The next logical question to consider when placing job ads on social media is how much to spend on the process. While you want to attract the best candidates, you don’t want to break your budget, either.
In most cases, employers can expect to spend $100 to $200 total in ads to find a few candidates for an open job position. However, this figure can go up depending on how detailed you get in selecting a specific audience — i.e., the more factors there are, the more you can expect to pay for ads. Likewise, getting too specific with who sees those ads can cause you to lose money in the long run. If you’re only running a campaign to show to a couple dozen people, then you likely won’t get applications from a varied enough pool. This is why having a larger audience is always preferred to an audience that’s too specific.
How To Set Your Tone in Hiring Ads
You want to make sure you set the right tone in your social media hiring ads. Today’s candidates don’t like stuffy ads that feel impersonal. Instead, they would rather a potential employer use a conversational tone with honesty or a bit of humor. They also tend to prefer when companies make it clear what is in it for them to apply for a position at your firm. Also, be clear on what you’re hiring for and why you need them to join your team. Doing this is a great way to stand out from the competition and ensure your ad gets noticed.
Wrap Up: Social Media and Recruiting Solutions
Hiring candidates and creating a solid team of great employees doesn’t have to be difficult. Today’s social media platforms offer great recruiting solutions applicable to a wide range of industries. Try it out and see how well this process works.
