Unless you have been living under a rock for the last twenty years, you will know social media is a tool most often used by people to present themselves and companies to promote their products and brand. But did you know that 92% of recruiters are avid users of social media, using social networks in their recruitment efforts?
Social media is a must for recruitment firms hiring Millennials
With Millennials making up the largest generational workforce in the UK and Generation Z (the generation following Millennials) close behind, keen to establish themselves in their chosen field, targeting these two key groups is a must for all recruiters.
A large part of Millennials and Generation Z's lives play out on social media, not just their social lives, but all aspects, including looking for new job opportunities. Therefore, recruitment firms should be directing their recruiting efforts on social media to attract these generational talents.
However, faced with a UK "skill shortage", recruitment in today's landscape is relentless and finding generational talent isn't always an easy task. Known as the "battle for talent", recruiters face fierce competition when hiring the UK's best candidates. And although social media comes in handy when trying to identify and connect with skilled talent, these candidates are often faced with dozens of recruitment agencies contacting them on social media, email and phone every day with new job opportunities.
With so many recruitment firms out there pushing content, candidates are left overwhelmed and often turn off from recruitment firm’s social media efforts and communication attempts. Only the recruitment firms that use social media wisely and not just for advertising positions find success online.
Millennials want to connect with recruitment firms on an emotional level
Although digitally connected, Millennials and Generation Z want to connect with recruitment firms on an emotional level. That's why more and more recruiters are taking their hiring strategies on the road with a recruitment tour to meet candidates face-to-face and begin forging relationships with talent.
Instead of hoping for candidates to engage with content, reply to connection requests and apply to job listings, recruitment firms taking their hiring strategies on the road are influencing engagement and interactions, generating stronger candidate relationships and a better ROI.
"On the road" recruitment tour strategies include hosting activations across numerous cities and towns across multiple days or half-day events, where targeted talent footfall is likely. For example, if your recruitment firm hires digital bodies, hosting activations and touring relevant digital events makes sense to build up a presence and stay top of mind.
Touring universities and hosting activations outside campuses is a great way to get candidates on board with your recruitment firm before they start their career. Then when they're looking for a new role, your recruitment firm will be the first point of call no matter what stage of their career they're at.
By meeting candidates face-to-face by taking your recruitment on the road, you can directly interact with your target audience and begin forging real customer connections, setting you apart from other recruitment agencies.
A recruitment roadshow tour is likely to cement your recruitment firm's place in your target audience's mind, leading to an increase in word-of-mouth advertising and future recruitment success stories.
Recruitment tours and social media go hand-in-hand
Social media has become a vital part of recruitment, and recruitment tours have made social media an even more powerful tool for recruiters. Face-to-face events capitalise on the way people use social channels, encouraging participants to follow your firm, as well as capture and share their offline experiences with their online networks, expanding the online coverage and reach of your recruitment firm.
As recruitment tours allow your firm to reach more people across multiple locations, more customer content and social media coverage will be generated, creating a higher online reach and engagement levels.
Further, with a recruitment tour, your recruitment firm will have more content to shout about on social media, giving candidates who visit your activation or see a post shared online through their social network, more reason to follow your firm on social media whether they're currently in the job market or not.
Author
Dawn Ellis works at The Events Structure, who provides a range of roadshow trailers for recruitment and other applications to a diverse range of clients worldwide, including Mastercard, Amazon, Virgin and the British Army.
