It is an inarguable fact that we are in the age of social media. It makes sense that in the day of modern recruiting, we’d utilize these tools to the maximum capacity to connect with potential candidates; yet, even social media has its caveats. When our trusty social media platforms fail us, we are forced to, to think outside of the box… or get back to the basics.
We’ve gotten so comfortable with our cyber-interactions that we’ve made it easier for our desired candidates to ignore our attempts. By coupling modern conveniences with traditional sourcing methods, I eliminate any concern that I may just be firing off mass e-mails rather than targeting an individual for their qualifications. As a result, passive candidates are more likely to engage in conversation with me.
I began employing this strategy after working in one particular market for two plus months and realizing I’d completely saturated it. In my moment of desperation, I opened my browser and went to Yellowpages.com where I typed in the name of one of my client’s major competitors with a national presence. A headline labeled “Companies like X” appeared, listing the contact information of all the smaller, local, or regional businesses offering similar products. This opened the door for me to more companies to source from that I may have never known about.
I then searched for the names of those companies on social media platforms, opening up a new candidate pool for me to dive into. In addition, I had the phone numbers for their offices and could utilize the triple threat: a phone call, an InMail or Facebook message, and a request for connection. By using the modern resources of today in the form of social media along with the old fashioned idea of calling a candidate directly, I was immediately finding a great quantity and quality of candidate submissions.
Too often, social media makes our lives so easy that we forget the ways in which we can be most effective, especially in recruiting. So while it’s important to be innovative, technologically savvy, and informed and up-to-date, I have learned that in the case of sourcing the best candidates, it is equally as important to remember the basics and integrate that into our daily efforts.
Written by: Kelsey Chalifoux
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