The popularity of social media has grown dramatically in recent years, and it seems, while many organisations have leveraged it as a successful branding tool, its effectiveness in recruitment has not been realised by many.

Social media has had an unavoidable impact on hiring. Alongside the right recruitment software, social platforms are a great way to reach out to candidates and get to the exact place where they all flock.

Many of those in your potential candidate pool will be part of the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram culture. It is therefore important for businesses to adopt social media platforms to keep up with the internet’s revolution. If they fail to do so, the brand can be portrayed as outdated and less relevant. Social media is more than just a set of new channels, it is an opportunity for companies to completely change the way they find tomorrow’s employees.

Brand awareness

Embracing social media is a way in which brand awareness can be enhanced and improved. If content is unique, interesting and shareable, interaction will be inspired and so the traffic to your website will increase. Your company website and social media pages are the ideal way to shout about your values and how great you are as an employer.

Good brand awareness will make it easier for candidates to find and connect with you which will in turn increase brand loyalty. By regularly engaging with candidates on the social media platforms, you will create a lasting impression that could result in word-of-mouth recommendations. Therefore, social media acts as a great way to gain publicity.

Virtual communication

Social media has revolutionised the way people do business and a prime example of this is the rise in virtual communication.

Virtual communication is quick and easy with no time constraints. The single click of a button can generate a message that has a world-wide reach – it is a unique opportunity to communicate with candidates without having a middleman.

This networking is not only simplistic and time friendly but it is also a money saving method. It allows you to interact with like-minded professionals and demonstrates your position as a thought leader. It is also a great way to get involved with online communities, discussion boards, forums and tweets, to name just a few.

Building relationships

Social media presents a two-way channel which enables the building of relationships. Candidates are receptive to your messages and you can read their posts to get insights into their thoughts and opinions – this is a great way to gain perspective on what you may be doing wrong and how you can do it better.

By interacting with the candidates, you can enrich relationships and deliver a fantastic candidate experience. This will result in rapport and display a high-quality social service, building a relationship surrounding a positive brand personality.