In April Mike Taylor from Web Based Recruitment organised a conference in London highlighting how social media works in recruitment and how previous attendees have been making it work for them.
Some of the Success Stories
Jonathan Hart-Smith, director, CK Clinical-pharmaceutical recruitment
Jonathan learnt how to maximize his pharmaceutical company’s use on various social media tools, including Facebook, LinkedIn and twitter and what other free tools there were available, such as Zing and YouTube.
Implementation
They carried out an overhaul of his market strategy and website, where they integrated social media tools and started using videos for vacancy ads. He bought his flip camera the day the conference ended.
The vacancy ad was for a social media person, who they employed soon after. This allowed them to set up the tools and make sure content was going out everyday in one way or another. This is how much of an impact the prospects of using social media had on him and the future of his business.
Big mistake
They did too much talking, too much outputting and not enough listening and reading and interacting. This is a very common mistake for new starters in social media.
Overall Impact
Their primary goal was to improve their SEO. They received a lot more traffic through their site within six months, which exceeded their expectations. Their traffic went up by 2077% in 2009 and through Analytics they discovered that 12% of the traffic was directly linked to their social media efforts.
How they treat social media now?
They use it as a listening tool and a multiple platform where they can identify key messages and trends to communicate with their followers and vice versa. It is very much a two-way process.
CKClincal’s YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/CKclinical
Elkie Holland, director, Prospectus IT Recruitment
How Elkie viewed social media before
“Like a big 3D jigsaw that I couldn’t quite put together.”
“You have to mold your SM approach to fit in with your brand’s personality and realise that there are no right or wrong ways to do it. It’s what works best for you.”
What she learnt
Elkie learnt to reconsider her pre-conceived notions on certain social networking tools, such as YouTube and Facebook, which she had always discounted but now feels inspired by.
YouTube became a major part of her social media drive, using it mainly for breaking news, where Elkie is interviewing clients on launches, new software and so on. She said that just knowing how to do it and not having to be perfect either was a great encouragement.
“Social media is a mixture of communicating, interacting and using business signposts, and in turn, increasing the visibility of your business.”
“This was mega to me. We revamped our whole website.”
“It’s not just talking, but actually doing your business and working hand in hand with clients and candidates.”
Elkie applies the three D’s of top selling: Dedication, Discipline and Determination to how she uses social media.
- If you’re going to do it, do it, and not on a half-hearted basis
- It can become a time trap, so you need to manage that well and just keep at it
- The results do not happen over night, it comes in time so you need to be patient and focused
Impact on Business
“Amazing. We have more noise, more interest, more notice and more business now”.
“Interacting with the clients and candidates in a variety of ways; being more innovative and more involved in the community has brought as closer to them and we are really enjoying it”.
Prospectus IT YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/ProspectusIT
Lucian Tarnowski, founder of BraveNewTalent www.bravenewtalent.com
Lucian deals with Generation Y in his line of social media recruitment so naturally embraces the tools.
Lucian’s social media validation
“Generation Y are internet authorities who have the best skills that can add great value to businesses.”
“Social media as interaction and not interruption.”
“Using advertising on social networking sites is not using social media.”
Case study
BNT did the global social recruiting for One Young World (global forum for young people with leadership qualities) and managed to reach 15 million people, engage with over 100,000 in 140 countries. As a result they obtained some excellent caliber candidates and with no marketing budget.
Brave New Talent’s videos:
http://www.bravenewtalent.com/videos/
Andy Headworth, Sirona Consulting http://www.sironaconsulting.com/
Andy learnt how to use twitter so effectively that he has gained a huge following and has really got to grips with the different apps and tracking functions available to grow your knowledge of others and your own presence online-which as of course correlates to your offline presence.
His blog was recently named one of the top 25 blogs in The Talent Management Blog Power Rankings 2.0.
Link to a video interview with Bill Boorman about video interviewing conducted by Andy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJv6jzzyfdc&feature=player_embedded
Tips from the Top:
Bill Boorman, BB Consultancy: “start with the end in mind. Decide what you want out of it before you start and make that very clear in your mind”. **
Paul Harrison, Carve Consultancy: “Listen to conversations about your brand. They will give you the basis to create a strategy”
Any Headworth, Sirona Consultancy: “Don’t sell; don’t preach, just engage and enjoy!”
** Stephen R. Cobey’s bestseller-‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind’
