30 Mar Get Social: Using LinkedIn for Recruiting
We have discussed in the past how LinkedIn is a must-use resource if you are looking for a job. But it is also incredibly valuable as an employer looking for new hires. With more than 400 million members, there’s a huge pool of talent available. And if you take advantage of the extensive features available, you can easily design a search where you are using LinkedIn for recruiting that is productive and not overwhelming.
Here are some tips to using LinkedIn for recruiting:
You can use LinkedIn in a number of ways. There are premium services beyond the free, but first try this option. You can do a search for businesses likely to have the kind of talent that you’re looking for.
If you need an accountant it’s easy to look up a big accounting firm name and search for profiles that list them as a current or former employer. It’s worth noting, that of course you risk other employers trying to poach your company for employees, but better to focus on making your environment the most enticing place to work, rather than hiding your team from social media. Frankly, it’s not just realistic.
Get personal. When you do find a potential candidate, reach out with an email that speaks to their specific profile (you will need to participate in one of their paid memberships to do this). You’re more likely to get a response, especially if you’re reaching out to someone who is currently employed and doesn’t appear to be actively seeking a job.
[bctt tweet=”Take time to read the specific skillets potential hires list on their profile and explain why they would be a great fit.”]
Get introduced. It goes without saying that building your network on LinkedIn is valuable for a number of business development reasons. But it also means that the more connections you have the more likely someone in your network is connected to someone you want to meet. You’re more likely to get a response also.
Selfies matter. No, not that Facebook post on vacation — your own profile on LinkedIn is what’s important. Be sure the information about you and your business is thorough, up-to-date, and error-free.
Your own profile is free; for additional reach, invest in a membership that allows you to create a company page so that you can showcase your company and give the people you contact a reference point on LinkedIn.
Be a groupie. You can join groups on LinkedIn for free, and not only do they offer all the other benefits of networking and additional resources, it’s another opportunity to access others in the same market or industry who are potential employees.
Post it. You can also post a job on LinkedIn (for a fee) and this can certainly help draw people to you when you don’t have the time or interest in proactively pursuing candidates. LinkedIn Jobs offers you an easy and straightforward way to use LinkedIn for recruiting that is efficient but also familiar as posting for jobs is a pretty traditional strategy.
There are a lot of great ways to be using LinkedIn for recruiting.
Some of them require use of the paid memberships, other strategies are just about being savvy and persistent in your use of connections and your own profile. But the important thing is to consistently revisit and update, so that you can find and be found easily.
