Social recruiting continues to gain traction as a powerful complement to traditional and online recruitment strategies. While the practice hasn’t yet reached a tipping point, the numbers tell us social media is a growing recruiting channel. Jobvite’s 2012 Social Recruiting Survey found that 49 percent of recruiters who implement social recruiting see an increase in candidate quantities, while 43 percent note a surge in candidate quality.

With all this in mind, HEALTHeCAREERS created a report to help recruiters navigate the social recruiting landscape. As part of this report, we developed the following visual to offer insight into how each of these channels plays into the recruiting process.

Read on for highlights on how to get the most out of some of the top social channels.

LinkedIn
With a reported 175 million registered user, LinkedIn is a great place to strut your stuff with job seekers.

  • Optimizing your LinkedIn company page is key to a successful social recruiting strategy. Use this space to post company updates, industry news and of course new jobs. Also, don’t be afraid of asking your audience questions to create a more lively discussion on your profile page.
  • Find job seekers in LinkedIn industry groups. However, don’t limit yourself to HR or industry specified groups. Instead, search for and join groups that touch on topics that pertain not only to your company, but to your interests as well. Then, engage by posting discussions and answering recruiting questions and even try posing your own questions in these groups.

Facebook
With over 800 million reported users on Facebook, job seekers update their status and browse company pages for job postings daily.

  • Ramp up the “About” section on your page: Include targeted keywords in the “About” section to gain more visibility with job seekers searching for company information and career opportunities on the site. Include keywords for open positions, links to your online real estate (website, microsites, social media feeds and/or blog) and your contact information.
  • Use this page to showcase what’s great about your company by highlighting corporate culture and employee engagement. For example, try posting photos of your office, company events and team outings. Share news beyond company products, such as new hires and employee promotions to display what your organization is like to potential recruits.
  • Find ways to incorporate Facebook into all your marketing programs to build your fan base (email marketing, print campaigns, sales); “Likes” help assess engagement of online and traditional marketing programs. Think of a “Like” as similar to an email subscription opt-in. Users liking your page are asking for information and updates from you because they want to know more about the information you provide. Pay attention to when and where you get more “Likes”.

Twitter
Twitter yields the most impact in social recruitment, but it often overwhelms users.

  • Become a resource to job seekers. Think about the blogs you follow, your newsletter subscriptions—the folks who influence you. Why do you pay attention to them? Mostly likely because they equip you with valuable information. Use Twitter to become that resource to prospective candidates. Tweet about job postings, employment growth, news and more. The more information at their disposal, the more knowledgeable your candidates become about your industry—and the more they trust you.
  • Keep track of your online success. Free online Twitter tools such as bit.ly, HootSuite and Klout help measure your influence.
  • Bit.ly is a free URL shortener that lets you maximize your 140 character limit by shortening your links to 20 characters. Then, head back to bit.ly to track the number of clicks on your links to track success.
  • With a reported 175 million tweets a day, tools like Klout helps you find Twitter influencers to follow and engage. These influencers help you track where the conversation is happening and pinpoint what job seekers are saying online. Also, don’t forget to use it to track your online influence. Klout helps you to see how you rank as an expert in different topics as well as topics to focus on more.
  • HootSuite schedules messages and tracks mentions about your brand. Check often and respond to any tweets, thank for retweets or mentions or to retweet what’s happening in your industry–all free.

New and Emerging Trends

  • Google+: SEO is the name of the game for this social channel. With a quick Google AdWords search you can narrow down the terms job seekers use the most when searching for a job, which gives you the most out of your time on Google+. Use the information to create optimized job postings, Tweets, and Facebook posts.
  • Pinterest: Even if you aren’t into sharing recipes or party planning ideas, Pinterest offers social recruiting opportunities. Create boards focused on positions you’re looking to fill. For example: if you’re recruiting for positions in Texas, create a board that includes those open positions and offers lifestyle information (culture, events, housing).

For the full guide and more tips, download our complete healthcare recruiting guide.