With the advent of technology, an increasing number of organizations are now using social media as a valuable tool to attract, retain and recruit the best talent in their companies. As opposed to the traditional methods used for staffing purposes, recruitment through social media has immense benefits. Social networking allows the managers to tap exceptional talent and find the ‘right’ fit for the job position. Moreover, it allows them to build an employer brand and create awareness in the job market to attract potential candidates. By doing so, an organization is able to hire top talent while expanding its network in the industry. (Ferdinandi, 2013)
A recent survey conducted by Society for the Human Resource Management (SHRM) revealed that around 76% of companies are either using or planning to use social media for recruitment purposes. The vast majority of employers are of the view that social networking sites serve as an effective and efficient method of recruitment. (Heathfield, 2014)
One of the most common networking (business) sites is LinkedIn that provides a wealth of information to organizations that are seeking applicants to fill up job vacancies in the company. The employer can match up the job specifications with the candidates’ qualifications and credentials mentioned in his/her profile. Therefore, screening potential employees is now only a click away. (Anand, 2010)
Companies may also opt for a fee-based solution by LinkedIn that automatically shortlists candidates based on the preset requirements for the position mentioned by the company. This saves up a lot of time for the HR managers and is also an efficient way of carrying out their routine staffing activities. Using sites such as Face book and Twitter, employers can interact with the applicants much easily and also use it as means of background checks.
In a nutshell, it can be said that social media is an ideal tool for recruiting candidates, and if used in conjunction with traditional methods of staffing, it can prove to be highly beneficial.
References
Anand, R. (2010). Recruiting with Social Media: Social Media's Impact on Recruitment and HR. S.l.: Que.
Ferdinandi, C. (2013, November 15). Recruitment using Social Media: How to Turn Connections into Candidates. Retrieved November 11, 2014, from http://hiring.monster.com/hr/hr-best-practices/recruiting-hiring-advice/attracting-job-candidates/recruiting-via-social-media.aspx
Heathfield, S. (2014, February 4). Use Social Media for Recruiting, Screening, and Background Checks? Retrieved November 11, 2014, from http://humanresources.about.com/od/selectemployees/qt/why-use-social-media-for-recruiting-and-screening.htm
