Those number or pound signs before words are not typos. Those symbols are hashtags, the way that a lot of Twitter users search for trending topics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Almost everything now has a hashtag, from movies to clothing and every day actions, thanks to Twitter’s explosive worldwide growth. It took six years from Twitter’s founding in 2006, but today it’s a worldwide phenomenon that people use for everything from breaking news to finding jobs.
Over 200 million updates are posted on Twitter every day, and many of those come from companies looking for the top tech-savvy talent that can round out their teams. Some network services like Jobvite and TweetMyJobs help companies during the hiring process by tweeting out posts, but companies can take matters into their own hands and establish Twitter accounts specifically for recruiting purposes, adding another dimension to the hiring process by following other users in the company’s industry, as well as associates and recruiters.
Keep Tweets short and sweet. Twitter already limits users to 140 characters, and job postings need to fit those limits but still be enticing enough for potential applicants to click on the included (and shortened) link and integrate hashtags so that the jobs show up in searches. For example, a company may tweet, “Boston ad agency seeks copywriter. Apply at (shortened URL) #Boston #jobpost #employment.” Hashtags that help in the hiring process include #jobs, #career, #employment, #jobpost, and #NAJ, which is Twitter shorthand for “Need a Job?”
Don’t discount Google+. While it’s one of the newest social media platforms, Google+ has also gained a lot of traction among people in the technology industry. As a cross between LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, Google+ allows recruiters to create “circles” of followers that could be potential candidates and other “circles” of colleagues and associates and provide content tailored to each.
Embrace the power of video. The hiring process has moved onto YouTube, no longer the domain of skateboarding videos and garage band clips. Companies now use the platform to post recruiting videos that detail what life is like in the company or clips from company events. Candidates use these videos to gauge whether they would fit in with the company’s culture.
Photos help the hiring process. Characters on the sitcom “Two Broke Girls” may have described Instagram as Twitter for people who can’t read, but it’s a social media platform that has gained incredible popularity in the past year. This visual platform, along with the popular pin board platform Pinterest, allows companies to highlight images of their headquarters, products, people and events, adding that personal touch to what can be a faceless process.
Companies have their pick of social media platforms to use for recruiting. Each platform offers something different for both recruiters and potential candidates, and companies who leverage more than just LinkedIn are better poised to attract qualified talent.
