Woman doing a zoom interview on her laptop.

Naturally, social media is important for a business’ marketing. However, as a tool for social reach and creating connections, social media has also become a central platform for recruiting and hiring new employees. We explain why you should post jobs, where to post, and what the best practices are so you can master the art of recruiting through social media.

Why Hire Through Social Media

Hiring through social media has become standard practice for most industries. More than three fourths of people search for new jobs on social media, and 73% of people between the ages of 18 and 34 found their current position through social media. 91% of employers report using social media for recruiting, and 56% have found that social media offers the best applicants. Those statistics quickly indicate that you should be hiring through social media, but they also deserve some unpacking to truly demonstrate the importance of recruiting through social media. 

Applicants with Real Connections and Enthusiasm

You should still post to online job boards and listing platforms such as Indeed or Monster along with having a dedicated “Careers” page on your own website. Those spaces help cast a wider net and provide the full details of a position (e.g. requirements, expectations, and responsibilities) and your company. Where social media excels, however, is reaching potential recruits who are sincerely interested and already familiar with your company. 

Those seeing your job listing on social media are already in some way connected to your business and brand. They might follow you, be part of your industry, or you might appear in their suggestions. In all these instances, they have a clear connection and social attachment. As a result, social media can provide you with a pool of applicants that have a sincere enthusiasm for and familiarity with your company. They are not just someone who stumbled upon your listing among a dozen others. That connection implies they are already personally invested in your business, and that is a valuable trait for a future employee who also meets a position’s professional requirements. That real connection and authentic interest are why companies are seeing such success with social media recruiting. 

Where to Recruit on Social Media

Since recruiting on social media is so essential and beneficial, you’re also probably wondering which platforms to use for recruitment. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, you should pick the platforms where you have the most significant following. For example, one business may have a substantial following on Instagram, while another has theirs on TikTok. Each business should focus its social media recruitment on those respective platforms. 

You should similarly consider the different demographics for each platform. For example, the age of TikTok and Instagram users skew younger than other platforms. If you are hiring for an entry-level position, you will likely receive more responses and applications from that younger audience. Conversely, Facebook has a much wider demographic of users. While recruiting there is less targeted, it’s better for casting a wider net. 

LinkedIn 

LinkedIn deserves special mention since it is in its own niche as a professional social media platform. It’s always best to post any recruitment there since LinkedIn allows you to specifically create recruiting listings through which people can directly apply. It is also the only social media platform focused on professional relationships and career development, so anyone closely following your company on LinkedIn is inherently interested in career opportunities from your company. As the primary professional social platform, it is also an exceptional place for your business to build a professional presence and network for future hirings.

Social Media Recruiting Best Practices

When you start recruiting through social media, here are some of the best practices to remember:

  • Post on multiple social media platforms to get the most reach.
  • The visual component of any content should make it immediately clear it is a job posting. Bold letters that say “We’re Hiring” are a simple but effective tactic.
  • Excluding your full posting on LinkedIn, don’t provide the full details about the position in your post. You won’t have room. Instead, include the main details that will entice someone to look at the full position’s listing.
  • Be specific. Job seekers want precise information, so don’t be vague about the position’s key details. 
  • If they’re interested, potential applicants will want to access the full posting. Be sure to include a direct link to the listing and application window. 
  • Use Instagram stories. Since Instagram posts cannot have a link, be sure to use stories to include those links. The post itself should provide clear directions on where applicants can apply, such as providing the link in the bio.
  • Stories and other live posts are also great for providing updates. This reinspires (and reminds) those potential applicants who need to put their applications together.

Social Media Recruiting, A Valuable Resource

Social media may have changed the logistics of recruiting, but it has also provided an immensely valuable tool for finding sincere and enthusiastic applicants. You should now understand the benefits and best practices for recruiting through social media. If you need help creating graphics or writing posts, our social media marketing team are masters of enticing hiring. You should also contact them to determine which platforms will provide the best applicants for your business and help you build your presence on LinkedIn.

A laptop screen with 4 zoom participants.

As remote work becomes standard for many industries, companies need to strive to build and support their team’s professional community. As an entirely remote team, we here at Rosewood have some key strategies that have been invaluable for team building in a remote work environment. 

One is the Loneliest Number

Remote work has provided both employees and businesses with benefits. It saves employees the cost of a lengthy commute as well as the flexibility and convenience of working from home. That has both direct and indirect benefits on employees’ mental health which results in up to 47% increased productivity. The option of remote work further benefits businesses by reducing the costs for workspace and offers a larger and more diverse pool of skilled applicants across the country and even the world. But that remote work can also deprive workers of a collegial community that offers socialization, collaboration, networking, and mentoring. In a survey by Buffer, 24% found loneliness and isolation their main struggle with remote work while another 17% said communication and collaboration. That separation can lead to a disconnect from one’s work and lower their enthusiasm or focus. To combat that isolation, consider the following advice for building and uniting that remote team.

Communication Channels Tie the Team Together 

Communication is essential for every kind of collaboration. Colleagues need to stay connected and informed to ensure a project is properly progressing. Provide both asynchronous and synchronous communication tools for your employees. Asynchronous communication, like email or project management platforms (Monday.com), allows team members to communicate directly. It’s particularly useful for sending crucial information and accommodating the different work schedules and timezones a remote team can have. Synchronous communication, such as in virtual meetings, allows for team members to discuss immediately. This kind of communication is best when a conversation or active dialogue is necessary. It also allows for more open-floor discussions where team members, who may not want to or be able to contribute in an email chain, will provide their own input on an issue or project.

Messaging Platforms Create Community

Professional messaging platforms such as Slack provide both asynchronous and synchronous communication channels. Direct messages between team members or conversations between a sub-team can be asynchronous, while communication on team, project, or company branch channels is typically synchronous, as channel members respond to each other instantaneously. Platforms like Slack allow the organization of your team members into channels that can be distinguished by company branches (e.g. marketing, web design) or projects (e.g. February photoshoot). Creating such channels organizes communication in your company, so that everyone can easily stay updated on their specific work concerns while not being confused with irrelevant information.

Fun is Essential to Team Building

Don’t make your communication channels all about work. Remote team building relies on socializing, and people create strong social bonds by talking about more than work. Create channels where your team can discuss TV shows, movies, or various hobbies along with an open-ended “Random” or “Miscellaneous” channel. Be sure to set limits on the kind of comments or material that should be discussed. Part of building a united team is ensuring your work community is respectful and accepting. Just like public online communities, moderation will help keep any messaging channel welcoming for all team members.

Co-working Spaces

While not all of your team members live close to one another, some might. These members can occasionally socialize and collaborate in-person. This doesn’t mean you have to find a dedicated office space in their area. Instead, you can facilitate their use of a co-working space to regularly meet and work together and socialize. These co-working spaces also provide the opportunity to meet and socialize with other members of your industry. Those additional networking opportunities will benefit the social and mental health of your employees, while also potentially providing your team and business with valuable industry connections.

Bringing the Team Together

If some team members do live nearby to one another, you can build team unity with social events outside work. Provide social planning channels where employees can express their interest in meeting up. You can even host an annual event where all employees can come to one central location for a social event. Last year, Rosewood’s team members from across Canada came to Toronto for a photoshoot, escape room, and dinner. It was an excellent bonding and team building moment for our entirely remote team.

Online Events are Perfect for Remote Team Building 

Events don’t just need to be in-person. As many looked for digital socialization methods during the pandemic, the options have flourished. Providing digital events where employees can socialize in a relaxed setting is perfect for team building in remote settings. Use Zoom or other online meeting platforms to host events where coworkers can socialize and play games. In the last few years, Jackbox Games have become a digital party standard because of their humor and play structure. Only one person needs to own and share the game’s video, while each player participates through an internet browser on their phone or computer. There are also numerous other games available in browsers or games with low computer requirements and on phones. During the pandemic, the social deception game Among Usbecame popular precisely for this reason. If employees prefer other forms of entertainment, movie and TV events are easily arranged as streaming services provide “watch party” modes where everyone can watch the same thing simultaneously. 

Building Your Team’s Connection Starts with You

In truth, there are now innumerable resources for building a united team in a remote work environment. People are naturally drawn to socialize, especially with those they have something in common with like their workplace. The best tactic is to get a sense of what interests your team. Any socialization will only work if employees want to participate. If you want to get your team to talk with each other, it starts with talking to them.

The Rosewood team reviews all they accomplished in 2022

After a relaxing and celebratory holiday break, the Rosewood team are back and busy at our desks in our various offices today, and 2023 is proving to be as exciting as its predecessor. We’re excited for all the amazing projects this new year is bringing and anxious to get started, but first, we’re taking an opportunity to review and reflect on the incredible year and successes the Rosewood team and our clients have shared in 2022. 

Rosewood Grew in Team Members and in Service Offerings

Overall, 2022 proved a productive and fruitful year for us and our clients. Rosewood saw growth in all divisions of our company and reached some fantastic milestones. We grew to over 120 active clients and white-labeled for 5 other agencies. We also started a new nonprofit fundraising platform in collaboration with Graf-Martin Communications. Our Canada-wide team even met up this Fall and spent some quality time together for a photoshoot and day of fun.

Rosewood Rebranded to Serve Our Clients Better

Rosewood saw some exciting changes and developments alongside our growth in 2022. In November we celebrated our seventh anniversary. It’s astonishing how much Rosewood has grown and changed over the years. To match our development, in August of this past year we launched our rebrand with Rosewood 2.0. Our loyal peacock departed for a new logo look and feel. To match the growth of our services over those years, we also took the opportunity to clarify our company core values, mission and vision. Along with that new look, we implemented a new target audience and social media strategy. We’re still growing and changing and will soon be launching a whole new website that better reflects Rosewood’s path forward. 

Rosewood Welcomed a New Account Coordinator

2022 was certainly a year of news for Rosewood. To better organize our wide swath of projects, we implemented a new project management system through Monday.com. That was spearheaded by another new at Rosewood. We brought on our newest team member Paige as an Account Coordinator to our clients and to support Rosewood internally. Paige has been an incredible addition to our team. Her passion and enthusiasm are contagious, and her penchant for planning has been vital for customizing Monday.com’s setup for each division and their specific needs to ensure the utmost streamlining for everyone.

Speaking of our divisions, they also have plenty to boast about for their 2022s. 

Here are just a select few of their wins from 2022:

Websites:

  • Designed and launched more than 25 new websites
  • Completed over 640 updates and requests
  • 18 new clients signed on for maintenance for regular updates, optimal functionality, and high-quality content from our expert web team
  • Developed a new fundraising platform for nonprofits in collaboration with Graf-Martin Communications

Ads:

  • Our advertising team produced a nearly 20x return on advertising spend (ROAS) which also produced a customer acquisition of up to 6x for some of our clients
  • Ads team was able to generate over 7,300 visits to just one of our client’s websites
  • One client’s ads reached nearly 71,000 people, and another was seen a staggering 312,646 times

Digital Media:

  • Created and published well over 1100 posts 
  • Numerous new clients signed up for our social media services to improve their business’ discoverability, reach, and authenticity
  • Successfully increased clients’ reach through social media to develop high-profile partnerships, including two from the ground up

Catch the Ace:

  • Helped nonprofits raise over $500,000 to support community programs

Misc.:

  • We successfully put our heads together to solve an escape room during our team building day
  • Our Director of Digital Media, Georgie, became a proud mother to the first Rosewood Baby (and she’s adorable)

It proved to be an eventful and accomplished year, but we’re even more eager to continue our work and growth into 2023. We have some new services that we’re excited to announce soon. Keep an eye on our social channels for updates. For now, we hope you all are also having a good start to the new year. Thank you all for being a part of this past year, and we’re looking forward to sharing in success this year.