Presentation at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN - Sep. 27, 2011. It looks at how employers are using social media in recruiting and how candidates can use it in job search, including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

1. Social Media in Recruiting
Tracy Godfrey
Godfrey Talent Strategies
November, 2011
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2. Social Media in Recruiting:
Session Goals
• See how employers are using social media and
trends in recruiting
• How you can leverage social media in your job
search and build an online presence
• Using social media as a tool to learn about careers,
companies and opportunities, and find connections
• Combining online social networks with your own
personal relationships to help you in exploring
careers and in finding a job
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3. “Social Media”
Relatively new, but now almost ubiquitous
“Works of user-created video, audio, text or
multimedia that are published and shared in a
social environment, such as a blog, podcast,
forum, wiki or video hosting site.”
• Social networking first defined in 2004
• Made possible by Web 2.0
• Not just access the internet, but interact -
create & share online
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4. Social Media Has Become a
Real Factor in Recruiting
• Used increasingly by both recruiters and
candidates
• Job boards have receded in dominance
• Employers are using social media to post
jobs, push out their message, search for
candidates, and check them out (both
positively and negatively)
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5. Use of Social Media is
Increasing Dramatically
• Career Xroads: 88.5% of companies are
using social media in hiring
• Jobvite: 89% using social media in 2011,
up from 83% in 2010
• SHRM survey: 56% using it now, up from
34% in 2008
• Only 21% of companies don’t plan to use
social recruiting this year.
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6. Top Social Media Sites
Employers use for recruiting
Jobvite SHRM
• LinkedIn 78% 95%
• Facebook 55% 58%
• Twitter 45% 42%
• Prof. or Assn. sites 23%
• Blogs 19%
• YouTube 14%
• MySpace 5%
• Others: Foursquare, Virtual communities,
Google+(?)
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7. Four Ways to Look at
Social Media in Recruiting
Social media in recruiting is reciprocal:
1. Candidates look for employers
2. Employers look for candidates
3. Candidates look at employers – find out
what they are like, dig up dirt
4. Employers look at candidates – find out
what they are like, dig up dirt
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8. Social Media – New application
of Age-old Phenomena
Social networks have been around a long time:
Figure out who you want to meet, then
go to where they gather to meet them
The internet brought this into a “virtual” realm
• What are some social networks you are a
part of?
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9. A Quick History of
Social Media
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10. Social Media – New application of
Age-old Phenomena
The Watering Hole
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11. Social Media – New application of
Age-old Phenomena
The Rendezvous
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12. Social Media – New application of
Age-old Phenomena
Around the Fire
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13. Social Media – New application of
Age-old Phenomena
The Pub
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14. Social Media – New application of
Age-old Phenomena
Wherever Crowds Gather
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15. Social Media – New application of
Age-old Phenomena
In the Many Ways People Connect
6 degrees of Kevin Bacon: http://www.sixdegrees.org/
“Social Networking with a social conscience”
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16. • Start by “Googling” yourself – this is your
online persona - make sure it presents you
in a positive light
• It’s likely employers will Google you at some
point before they hire you
• Google searches are a great way to learn
about employers. Like you, companies can
control some – but not all, of what’s on
Google – Check “News” to see how others
are covering the company
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17. Linked In
• Create a professional Profile
• Build your network – Look for connections
• Search – for people, companies, jobs,
industries, career fields
– Use “Advanced Search” to drill down
• Join LinkedIn Groups & participate
• Follow companies
• See how you are connected
• Monitor activity & Views on your Home page
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18. How Companies
Use Linked In
• Company profile – to promote brand, image
• Create and participate in Groups
• Post jobs
• Connect job boards and databases to
LinkedIn – e.g. Taleo,
• Search for candidates
• Size up candidates who have applied
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19. Facebook
Usually more personal than professional, but
is used in recruiting & job search
• Make sure your privacy settings are set
the way you want them
• Highlight activities that might spark a
common interest with an employer
• Be appropriate on Facebook
• Monitor Tags on photos that may not be
appropriate professionally
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20. How Employers Use
Facebook
• Create company Facebook pages to
promote company brand and image
• Get people to “Like” & follow company
• Sometimes post jobs, links to career sites
• Monitor what’s being said about them
• Search for potential talent
• Check out candidates (positive & negative)
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21. Twitter
• Set up a Twitter account
• Tweet if you are so inclined
• Follow companies – for news, job
postings, corporate positioning
• Tweet when you have something to say,
but don’t overdo it
• Assume that all you Tweet will be
discovered
• Use www.search.twitter.com
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22. How Employers
Use Twitter
• Push out information about their company
– links to news releases, events, jobs,
products, etc.
• Communicate with followers
• Do searches to find talent who share
interests or are talking about topics critical
to their company
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23. General rules on social media
• Be professional; Be appropriate – don’t post illegal or
risque items – Assume all will see–even your Mother
• Stay active in groups and across social media – Up
your Google quotient
• Keep it positive – Don’t slam employers or
competing points of view
• Don’t overdo it – Network, but don’t pester
• Being “overexposed” is not good (especially literally)
• Be careful on frequency & timing
• Ultimately your aim is to connect with People – social
media is a tool to get there
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24. Social Media’s Value:
More than for Job Search
Use it to connect professionally and
develop in your career
• LinkedIn to stay connected with colleagues
• LinkedIn to share ideas & updates on your work
• Virtual communities to contribute, get help, stay
current on trends, stay visible, build your “brand”
• Professional associations to stay current, get
continuing education, connect, learn from leaders
• Twitter to follow companies, interesting people
• All of the above to track job & industry trends,
hot companies, critical issues
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25. Sample Social Media Search:
Jobs in Your Field in MN
1. Google: Minnesota & the name of the profession
(Start broadly and narrow if necessary)
2. Do LinkedIn Search based on Google results to
look for people & connections – Advanced
searches on People, Companies, Industries, Key
Words
3. Do similar Facebook search on Google results &
learn about people identified from LinkedIn
4. Check Twitter, YouTube, other social media sites
to learn more about companies & organizations
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26. Sample Social Media Search:
Your Field in MN
5. Go back to Google to look up news on targeted
companies
6. Look for connections to gain introductions &
connect with people
7. Go back to LinkedIn, Facebook, major job boards,
niche job boards & professional associations to find
jobs & apply
8. Get personal – Connect with key people for
networking & informational interviews to meet and
learn more; connect with those with the power to
hire
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27. Your most important link: From online
back to real-world relationships
School
Athletics Work
&
Professional
Informal Recreation
Socializing & Leisure
Interests
Volunteer
Family
&
&
Community
Faith Community Friends
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28. Link to Today’s Presentation
on SlideShare
http://www.slideshare.net/TracyGodfrey/
social-media-in-recruiting
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29. About the Presenter
Tracy Godfrey
is a seasoned HR professional with more
than 25 years experience, leading teams &
consulting on recruiting and selection for
major Twin Cities corporations.
Tracy holds an MBA and Senior Professional, Human
Resources (SPHR) certification. He is a member of the
Leadership Group of the Vital Aging Network (VAN)
http://www.linkedin.com/in/tracygodfreytalentstrategies
tgodfrey4630@msn.com
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