Incorporating Web 2.0 into your Recruitment Strategy


Posted By: Thomas Shaw, 11:25pm Monday 19 January 2009

What is Web 2.0? Many recruiters are still confused as to what Web 2.0 really is and how they can incorporate it into their recruitment process. Yet once recruiters understand the new Web 2.0 world, they can leverage emerging social media tools and gain a competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive business world. So let's step back from a previous article I wrote on "Web 2.0 Recruitment Sites" and find out about the terms and application of these tools.

This is a short extract of what you will find me talking about at the upcoming Inspecht HR Futures Conference on 26th Feb 2009. Register now, don't miss out! http://hrfutures.inspecht.com.au/

Read - Web 2.0 Recruitment Sites http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/web-2-0-recruitment-sites-a50.html


Why is Web 2.0 Tools Important for Recruiters?

Many of the new social media tools can be leveraged by recruiters in order to aid in their recruitment efforts and gain a competitive advantage. For recruiters, Web 2.0 means an evolution in the way that information is transferred across the internet, a new virtual world where candidates are now more than ever, in control.

Understanding Web 2.0 can aid recruiters in providing these job seekers with the ultimate candidate experience and offer opportunities to engage them in completely new ways. You will also be able to leverage your experience in using these tools over your competitors.

Read - Corporate Social Networking Trends http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/corporate-social-networking-trends-a65.html

But most recruiters are still only grasping the power of email marketing!

Read - Email Marketing Tips for Recruiters http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/email-marketing-tips-for-recruiters-a69.html




Web 2.0 Terms
Read - Twitter and Recruitment http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/twitter-and-recruitment-a13.html

Read - Facebook Advertising - Part 1 http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/facebook-advertising-part-1-a51.html

Read - Facebook Advertising - Part 2 http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/facebook-advertising-part-2-a52.html


Applying Web 2.0 Tools to Your Recruitment Strategy

Recruitment blogs are a great way to interact with candidates and provide them with a sense of a company’s culture and work. Different companies can use recruitment blogs to fit their specific needs; whether to promote their brand or provide candidates with in-depth look into the jobs they may be applying for. Regardless, recruitment blogs add an element of humanity to the hiring process and allow recruiters to find candidates that are qualified and that fit within their company’s culture.

Another great tool that recruiters can utilize to engage candidates. By incorporating podcasts into your career site, candidates can easily and quickly gain a vast amount of information about your company, culture, and work. Whether it’s an audio or video clip of an interview, company facilities, people, or daily work tasks, offering information in this way allows candidates to experience your company, brand, and culture in a very real way.

Create a short video on why you should work with XYZ Agency/Employer?

Read - The difference between a Video Interview and Video Resume http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/the-difference-between-a-video-interview-and-video-resume-a64.html

Read - 2009 - Year of the Recruitment Videos http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/2009-year-of-the-recruitment-videos-a59.html

RSS allows users to keep up with their favorite website, receiving updates in a constant, automated, and organized manner. In this same way, you can apply RSS feed to you Career Center website. By subscribing to your feed, candidates can easily receive constant updates on new positions that fit their qualifications. RSS Job Alerts allow recruiters to stay constantly connected to candidates and ultimately reduce time-to fill costs and other expenses.

Read - Social Media Optimisation (SMO) Say What...? http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/social-media-optimisation-%28smo%29-say-what-a22.html

In today’s Web 2.0 world, jobseekers look to the internet to search for jobs. Because of the increase in the use of search engines, recruiters can use best practices to improve search engine rankings, increase traffic to their career site, build their company’s brand, and expand their pool of talent. Include words such as Jobs, Careers, Recruitment, Career Opportunities, etc. on your page. Consider utilizing Meta description, title, and incorporating career opportunities on your webpage in order to improve search engine rankings.

Many search engines offer “suggestions” that allow you to see what terms jobseekers are searching for the most. Use this information to research terms associated with your brand and to identify new opportunities in job searches.

Use social networks as a sourcing tool to reach passive candidates and for hard to fill positions. These networks also allow recruiters to build a large and more diverse talent pool. In order to be effective, however, recruiters need to devote enough time to maintain their social networks.

Read - Integrated Social Media Solutions for Recruitment http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/integrated-social-media-solutions-for-recruitment-a63.html

Read - Bluetooth Marketing for Career Expos/Job Fairs http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/buletooth-marketing-for-career-expos-job-fairs-a62.html

Read - Using SMS in Recruitment http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/using-sms-in-recruitment-a61.html

Read - Recruitment Agency Websites http://www.recruitmentdirectory.com.au/Blog/recruitment-agency-websites-a55.html