Effective recruitment is essential to a company’s success. Even if a good recruitment software is one of the keys to success, it remains a tool. Hiring qualified, skilled talent is the key to growth, innovation and competitiveness in the marketplace. In an ever-changing business environment, companies need to adopt modern approaches to attracting the best candidates, particularly via social networks.
Changing recruitment practices in the digital age.
Over the years, recruitment practices have evolved significantly, moving from traditional methods such as newspaper advertisements and job fairs to more innovative techniques; The advent of the digital age has opened up new possibilities and transformed the way companies search for and recruit talent, as we discussed in our article on the evolution of the recruiter’s profession. But we only touched on the subject of recruitment via social networks.
How does recruitment via social networks work?
Recruiting via social networks has become an increasingly popular strategy for companies. Social media offer unprecedented access to a vast pool of talent and the ability to precisely target potential candidates. This approach also makes it possible to interact and engage candidates in a direct and personalized way, playing in particular on its employer brand.
In this article, we explore in detail the benefits of recruiting via social networks for businesses. We will look at real statistics and figures from credible sources on the Internet to back up our arguments and provide accurate and reliable information.
The benefits of recruiting via social networks.
There was a time when the first thing most people did was to read the morning paper before starting the day, but the rules have changed. Social networks are part of the lives of an overwhelming majority of people, especially among young working people. And it’s not just in the morning or for the evening edition: it’s all the time, during every journey, every break, when you get up and when you go to bed. Even the less ‘networkphile’ consult social networks, especially if they are looking for a job or retraining;
Access to a vast pool of talent.
Social networks have billions of users worldwide, giving companies unrivalled access to a wide range of potential candidates. According to a study carried out by DemandSage, more than 4.9 billion people will be using social networks worldwide in 2023. The study estimates that this figure could rise to 5.85 billion by 2027. These staggering figures demonstrate the massive scope offered by this recruitment approach.
Statistics on the use of social networks.
According to a study by Statista, Facebook has more than 2.9 billion monthly active users, Instagram has more than 2 billion, LinkedIn has more than 930 million members (26 million users). active monthly in France) and Twitter has over 237 million active users daily. worldwide (12 million in France); These figures may make you dizzy, but they prove that not taking social networks into account when recruiting could be a strategic error.
Interestingly, France has the 2nd highest number of LinkedIn users in Europe. (source : Digimind)
Precise targeting of potential candidates
One of the major advantages of recruiting via social networks is the ability to precisely target candidates who match a company’s specific needs. Social networking platforms offer advanced filtering and segmentation functionalities, enabling recruiters to define specific criteria such as professional experience, skills, geographical location, etc. As this data is intrinsically linked to the platforms and their own terms of use, it can be used via the tools of the networks in question without infringing the RGPD as it is not directly transmitted.
Social networks collect detailed demographic and professional data on their users, making it easier to target potential candidates precisely. For example, LinkedIn offers detailed information on users’ career paths, skills and interests, enabling recruiters to identify the most relevant profiles for their job vacancies.
In fact, you can directly import LinkedIn in our recruitment software (ATS) Jobaffinity to create talent records in your candidate pools.
The complex algorithms of social networks will also enable targeting according to people’s interests, whether these be their passions (sport, tech, fashion, cooking, etc.) or the companies and brands they follow;
Interaction and engagement with candidates
Recruiting via social networks offers a unique opportunity to interact and engage with candidates in a direct and personalised way; These networks are above all interactive platforms where users consume, comment, share and interact with content. According to a study by Sprout Social, 57% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social networks. Although statistics are much harder to come by, it’s easy to imagine that a candidate who often interacts with content from your company or brand will be very interested in a job opportunity with you.
Companies can capitalise on this dynamic by interacting with potential candidates, answering their questions, providing additional information about vacancies and creating a sense of belonging to the employer brand. This face-to-face interaction can help reinforce candidates’ interest, convince them to apply and enable initial pre-qualification. Even if these people are in post or don’t have the profile for the position you have available, if they like your company and the way you interact with the community, they could become your ambassadors and send job offers to their acquaintances.
Extended geographical reach
Social networks enable companies to transcend geographical boundaries and reach candidates beyond their local town, department or region, and even across the world. For example, LinkedIn, as a professional social network, makes it possible to connect with professionals regardless of borders, offering an international reach for recruitment. What’s more, thanks to the geo-targeting features of social network advertising, companies can reach specific candidates in precise geographical regions.
This can be particularly useful for reinforcing certain sites, if you are planning to open a new franchise or new offices, or if you need an on-site team for sales positions, for example.
Interaction and engagement with candidates
Statistics on user engagement on social networks in recruitment
Social networks are interactive platforms where users are active and engaged. According to Glassdor, 79% of candidates look for information on social networks before applying for a job.
According to CareerProfiles, 73% of millenials (i.e. age groups between 18 and 34) found their current job via a social network.
CareerArc, meanwhile, say that candidates rely on social networks to ‘judge’ a company before applying: 62% of job seekers will use social networks to assess the image of a brand or company.
Selon LinkedIn, 40 millions de personnes dans le monde cherchent chaque semaine un emploi sur leur plateforme
Finally, a study by Betterteam reports that 80% of employers say social networks help them find passive profiles.
As for the age of people who use social networks, here is a graph on the percentage of people in different age groups who use at least one social network (source: This Forbes article)
Direct and instant communication
Social networks allow recruiters to interact directly with candidates instantly; Private messages, comments and online discussions provide fast, effective communication; This enables recruiters to answer candidates’ questions, provide additional information on vacancies and create a closer link with potential candidates.
The other advantage, when answers are given in public, via comments for example, is that it avoids duplication: if 250 people asked the question on a post and see the answer on your social network profile, that’s 250 emails that won’t be sent to you to ask the question; Less than that, in fact, because some people wouldn’t have gone so far as to send an e-mail, thinking that it wasn’t for them, even though they could have been perfectly qualified for the job.
Other messaging systems, apart from social networks (or linked to them) are much more widely used today than SMS, telephone calls or email. It can also be an excellent way of communicating directly with your potential candidates.
Here’s a chart produced by digimind.com on the networks and messaging services most used every day in France:
Did you know? You can send messages to your candidates via WhatsApp from within Jobaffinity!
The best social networks for recruitment
LinkedIn is the most widely used professional social network for recruitment. It offers a platform dedicated to professionals where they can create detailed profiles highlighting their skills, experience and professional achievements. Today, a presence on LinkedIn is becoming a must for many companies.
Statistics on the number of users and professional profiles on LinkedIn
LinkedIn has more than 930 million users worldwide, including 310 million monthly active users. It is estimated that the platform acquired by Microsfot will reach one billion users by 2025. Around 40% of active LinkedIn users use the platform on a daily basis (Statista). This represents a huge pool of potential talent for companies looking for qualified candidates. Confirmed hires have increased by 110% year-on-year according to Microsoft’s Q2 2022 report.
Specific tools and functions for recruitment
LinkedIn offers a number of specific tools and functions for recruitment, including:
- Job offers: companies can publish detailed job offers, reach a wide audience and receive applications directly on the platform. There is also an alert system, so that potential candidates are notified as soon as the company posts a new advert;
- Advanced search: recruiters can use precise filters to search for candidates based on their experience, skills, location, etc.
- Recruiting in groups: LinkedIn offers groups dedicated to different business sectors where recruiters can connect with professionals interested in their specific field.
- The “interested in this company” function:allows candidates to notify a company that they are interested in working for it. All you have to do is import the profiles into your Jobaffinity recruitment software at the click of a button and your candidate pool fills up automatically;
Although Facebook is primarily known as a personal social network, it also offers interesting recruitment opportunities for companies;
Statistics on the audience and use of Facebook
Facebook is the world’s most popular social network, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users; Some 74% of Facebook users consult the site daily (Pew Research Center); This massive reach makes it an attractive platform for companies looking to reach a wide audience of potential candidates;
Using groups and pages for recruitment
Facebook groups and pages can be used strategically for recruitment; Companies can create their own page to promote their employer brand, share job offers and interact with potential candidates. Facebook groups can be used to create communities around a specific sector of activity, where recruiters can interact with professionals interested in their field.
If you’re a small business, there’s bound to be a group around your locality (such as the “[localité] ” or self-help or employment groups) where you can post a job advert and interact directly with people who are interested.
Twitter, although primarily a microblogging platform, offers recruitment opportunities thanks to its rapid and viral nature. Even though it’s a network that can become a strong asset for your brand image, delivering news and interacting with your community, you can also use it to recruit.
Statistics on the use of Twitter in a professional context
Twitter has more than 350 million monthly active users, and around 42% of Twitter users follow company or brand accounts (Hootsuite). This shows that Twitter users are open to engagement with brands and companies, making it a relevant platform for recruitment.
Using hashtags and lists for recruitment
Twitter hashtags (such as #nowhiring #emploi, #job or #onrecrute) can be used to categorise and group tweets around specific subjects. Recruiters can use relevant hashtags in their tweets to attract the attention of potential candidates interested in these subjects. In addition, Twitter lists can be created to follow relevant accounts linked to a specific sector of activity, making it easier to find qualified candidates.
Effective strategies for recruiting via social networks
Creating a solid presence on social networks
Optimisation of profiles and company pages
To recruit successfully via social networks, it is essential to create optimised profiles and company pages. This includes using relevant keywords in descriptions, including detailed information about the company and its values, adding links to the company’s website and highlighting available vacancies. A solid, professional presence on social networks strengthens a company’s credibility and attracts potential candidates.
Distribution of relevant and attractive content
You can’t set up a company profile on social networks in a week and then forget about it for 3 years. Creating and sharing relevant and engaging content is essential to attracting the attention of potential candidates. This can include blog articles, case studies, videos, infographics and employee testimonials.
Anything you publish on your website (blog) or in your newsletters can be reused, in the same format or in several publications, in your social networks.
The content must be aligned with the company’s values, highlight the corporate culture and offer useful information to candidates. A solid content strategy helps to position the company as an attractive employer and arouse the interest of qualified candidates.
Not only will this help you to recruit, but it should also, if you do it properly, improve your sales and customer satisfaction.
Use of targeted advertising for recruitment
While publishing on social networks is free, for these platforms to exist they need to have an economic model. This model is simply their advertising offers. If the “organic reach” of your publications is low, which will certainly be the case if you are a small business or have not yet built up your online presence, you should turn to advertising.
Statistics on the effectiveness of advertising on social networks
Social network advertising offers extensive reach and advanced targeting options, making it a powerful tool for recruitment. According to a study by eMarketer, 68% of recruitment professionals have used advertising on social networks to recruit candidates, and 59% of them reported good results. Advertising on social networks can help to attract the attention of potential candidates and generate qualified applications.
Advanced targeting options to reach the right candidates
Social networks offer advanced targeting options for advertising, enabling companies to define precise criteria for reaching relevant candidates. Targeting criteria can include geographical location, age, sector of activity, skills, interests, etc. This precise targeting capability enables distribute job offers to the candidates most likely to be interested and qualified.
The more precise the targeting, the cheaper the advertising
If you’re looking to recruit in a particular sector, don’t hesitate to restrict your advertising budget to a very specific target. Advertising online or on social networks can quickly become expensive if you don’t get it right.
The word “advertising” can be frightening, but you can get good results for a relatively small investment. According to analyses by Sortlist, the average cost in CPM (Cost Per Thousand), i.e. for 1000 people to see your sponsored publication is… 6.25;
Go where you’re not expected
We’ve talked about LinkedIn, Twitter and a bit of Facebook. But other platforms, which are more “B to C” oriented for brands, can also be used to display ads: a sponsored publication on Instagram or TikTok. A recruitment campaign using YouTube advertising…
While users of these social networks generally have little in the way of business ideas, they are still people who, a priori, need to work. Seeing a great career opportunity between a cat video and a fitness video can give you ideas.
These ads, coupled with the multiplying your adverts all over the web, will give you every chance of finding good candidates.
Moral: a presence on social networks attracts candidates and makes you stand out from the crowd.
Recruiting via social networks offers a number of advantages, including access to a vast pool of talent, precise targeting of potential candidates and direct interaction with them. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are among the best social networks for recruitment, offering specific features and a wide reach. But they are not the only ones, and a presence on different networks can, depending on your company, bear fruit.
Keeping up to date with the latest trends and practices in social network recruitment is essential to maximise results. By using these platforms strategically, companies can find the best talent to meet their needs and strengthen their competitiveness in the recruitment market. Don’t hesitate to follow our blog for all the latest news!
If you don’t have a communications or marketing department to learn how to use social networks properly, it may be preferable to call on professionals on the job, or, even better : recruit one thanks to our recruitment software! Would you like a demonstration?
