This article was submitted by Hireserve
Twitter: An almost unlimited source of diverse talent. You have so many potential candidates at your fingertips, so how do you reach them?
We can’t promise that a hashtag will land you your next quality hire, but we have got 4 tips on how to connect with candidates on Twitter effectively.
Keep an eye on hashtags and keywords
Pull keywords from your job descriptions and input these into the search bar of Twitter. Try searching for words as hashtags (e.g. #graduate), as well as just the words themselves (graduate).
Using Twitter’s search filters you can tailor your results, for example searching for the latest tweets or for people or photos.
Although searching for ‘#jobs’ or ‘#hiring’ may give you an excess of results from recruiters and agencies searching for candidates, it can be worth sifting through a number of them to find those hidden gems of people looking for jobs:
Twitter’s search bar is really useful for finding people who are talking about topics in the field you’re hiring for. The majority of these people may not currently be actively looking for a job, but we all know the power of a passive candidate.
Get ‘chatting’
At your fingertips lie a number of Twitter users who are so interested in a particular sector or function, they will actively engage in ‘chats’ about the topic on Twitter.
Twitter chats are group ‘conversations’ that take place across Twitter, at prearranged times, that come to life as people tweet using the same hashtag. This could be #MarketingUK, #DeveloperTalk, or any number of different topics.
For example, this monthly UK Twitter chat around nutrition:
Not only will these chats highlight articulate and truly passionate potential candidates to you, but engaging in one yourself can increase your own visibility among them.
Type the term ‘Twitter chats’ into your search engine and you’ll find several websites where you can browse chat categories and find those that are the most relevant to your job vacancy.
Host or promote a competition on Twitter
Whilst we can’t advise on any best practice or competition terms and conditions, it might be worth considering holding a Twitter competition for students or graduates. For example, if you’re a design firm, you could open up a ‘Design a logo’ competition, which applicants can enter by using a relevant hashtag (e.g. #FutureTalentCompetition).
While a Twitter competition might not lead to immediate hires, it could be an effective and creative way of engaging students with your brand and nurturing other future candidates before a recruitment drive.
Jump on the bandwagon
Engage your candidates further by using your Twitter account as a ‘newsjacking’ tool (don’t worry, it’s not as aggressive as it sounds!).
Newsjacking is when you jump on the back of an emerging news story or trend; the purpose of which is to increase your reach, as users may stumble across your post via a relevant hashtag or search.
This could range from sharing a news story with relevant hashtags, or posting a photo of your team getting involved in a related event, for example.
One organisation that’s particularly effective at newsjacking is Innocent. From the hilarious to the educational, they’re a great example of how a brand can engage with popular culture or current events:
You could choose to share these posts on your company’s main Twitter account, or on your careers profile, whichever is most appropriate.
A word of caution, however: only jump on relevant bandwagons – don’t attempt to engage with news that doesn’t reflect your company’s ethos, and be aware of your tone. You don’t want to come across as inappropriate or insensitive if the post isn’t quite right.
Cost-effective and innovative, Twitter can be an invaluable sourcing tool…
… and a fantastic way of engaging with a diverse potential talent pool. Remember – be authentic, and never compromise your brand values for the sake of a hashtag. But, by posting clever, humorous and relevant content, you can build a positive employer brand and reach more potential candidates than ever.
