As an employer, recruiting on LinkedIn can help you scout the most suitable candidates for your company. Here are some tips on how to do it right.
Many have claimed that LinkedIn has revolutionized the job market, while others are still struggling to use this massive network of professionals and job seekers effectively. Today, there are a lot of job opening posts posted by HR Managers or recruiters, seeking potential candidates.
In order to use LinkedIn effectively as a recruitment tool, HR professionals must plan a balanced hiring strategy that caters to both active and passive candidates. Fortunately, LinkedIn is a service that is well suited for such purposes. There are various things companies can do to get their hiring message across to both the active and passive candidates.
LinkedIn distinguishes two types of candidates: active applicants and passive applicants. Active job seekers are those currently searching for career options and potential job opportunities. Yet, they are not necessarily unemployed. Passive candidates, on the other hand, are people currently employed and do not search for jobs.
Statistics from LinkedIn say that about 25% of the fully-employed workforce falls into the active candidate category. It can mean that they are concerned about their current employer’s stability, their job was outsourced, or perhaps they simply want to switch jobs. Because they are actively searching for a job, it is relatively easy for recruiters to reach them.
Passive candidates are employed people, so why would recruiters want to target them? LinkedIn further explained that although they are not actively looking, they may be willing to discuss a new opportunity.
Whether you want to hire active or passive candidates, you have to consider the urgency of the position you want to offer. Both have their own unique approach. There are several general tips that you can utilize to create a successful job posting on LinkedIn.
The first thing companies can do to hire effectively on LinkedIn and gain access to a large database of job seekers is to create a company profile. So far, the majority of HR managers prefer to publish hiring announcements on their own and their colleagues’ LinkedIn profiles. However, this has a very limited reach and depends greatly on the personal network of the recruiter.
Moreover, using the company’s own LinkedIn page can improve brand presence and awareness. LeadDelta suggests posting regularly; let potential candidates see your company culture, what you’re working on, and what kind of company you are.
With a massive amount of users, it could be baffling for recruiters to find a place to start. Joining relevant groups might be a good place to begin, depending on the specifics of the hiring position. By participating in these groups more often, you can establish more connections. With the right group, you can even find the latest news about trends in your industry.
Be active in the group by answering questions or engaging in discussion. However, make sure that you don’t spam the group by posting too many job listings. You can get blocked by the Group Administrator.
To fully realize LinkedIn’s potential as a recruiting tool, recruiters may want to consider its paid services. There are various such services on LinkedIn for recruiters to pick and choose to effectively target both active and passive candidates.
LinkedIn offers several Premium subscription plans that employers can choose as needed. For recruiting purposes, there is a Recruiter Lite plan that allows you to access LinkedIn’s recruiting functions, like recruiting-specific design, automatic candidate tracking, smart suggestions, and integrated hiring.
After filtering potential applicants, the next step is to contact them. The messaging feature on LinkedIn makes it easy to get in touch with them directly. However, with a LinkedIn message, you need to be a connection with each individual. An easier way is to use InMails. It allows recruiters to send messages straight to the candidate’s inbox without having to become a connection. To use InMails, you need to upgrade to the premium subscription plan.
You should also consider the content of your message. Candidates are probably spammed with messages every day, and you don’t want to be seen as a scam. Recruit CRM recommends personalizing your message in order to stand out from the competition. Even minor customization of a template is better than nothing.
At last, LinkedIn as a recruitment tool is no longer a new thing in the HR industry. However, using it only as an afterthought is a waste of time and resources. Companies that are considering using LinkedIn as a hiring tool need balanced strategies and plans.
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