LinkedIn Recruitment: Making it Work for Your Hiring Process

As candidates seek new value propositions from their prospective employers, companies need to dive deep into their own company mission, purpose, and culture to identify what makes them differentiated and attractive employers. Companies must then communicate internal realities to candidates on various platforms to allow for informed decisions on whether or not they would be a good fit.

According to the 2022 Potentialpark Talent Communication study, candidates in Europe and the US most often rely on companies’ career websites, job boards, and professional networks. In Asia, candidates also rely heavily on companies’ career websites and job boards, but social networks replace the importance of professional networks. In Latin America, over three-quarters of candidates engage on professional networks to search for employment information, while job boards are much less popular in this region. Unsurprisingly, these top sources of employer information are also perceived to be the most credible sources among candidates in their respective areas. Employers have the opportunity to present their authentic and attractive internal realities to candidates across multiple talent communication channels.

The most recognizable online social network is still LinkedIn. However, its uses go well beyond social networking. In fact, 52% of candidates globally see career-related content on LinkedIn, and 73% globally have used the platform to search for jobs. There is no doubt that any company searching for talent should be present and actively promoted there. But it may not be as easy as it seems. This article contains a step-by-step guide to the basic rules for recruiting talents on Linkedin.

How to Use LinkedIn to Recruit Employees

With over 720 million profiles on the platform, your business can generate leads and entice the right job applicants when it’s used correctly. Making LinkedIn work for your recruitment process takes more than just creating a profile and posting jobs on the site. Below are some of the proven strategies for using LinkedIn to recruit employees effectively.

Post Articles 

Establish industry expertise by sharing articles that provide relevant information. Content can be about your company or industry trends.

Increase Brand Awareness  

Find groups in your industry or field, read and comment on articles, and answer questions. This helps spread brand awareness and create community and professional relationships.

Check Competitors  

You can gain insights by looking at their job postings and using similar keywords. This helps your profile become more searchable on the site.

Post Jobs  

While this may require a specific budget, job postings on LinkedIn can give you the ROI that you are looking for. Make your money work for the company by making sure the job listing is complete with all the important details.

Add the Option to Apply via LinkedIn  

This is one of the easiest ways to entice potential hires. Make applying easier for job seekers by allowing them to send their applications via the site.

Maximize Your Candidate Search  

Use strategies to make your candidate search give you more accurate results. Use the Boolean search technique to help you widen or define search results. This also allows you to gather more data in a more efficient manner.

Reach out to Passive Candidates 

These are the people who are still employed but are open to other opportunities. You can check their profiles and uploaded resumes. According to a post on How to Add Your Resume to LinkedIn, the resume is where they advertise themselves to potential employers. You should be able to find hints if they are actively searching for a different job. With the right offer, you may just be able to convince top talent to move to your company.

Utilize Talent Acquisition Software 

Your goal is to gather data as efficiently as possible. This includes responding to messages and job applications in a timely manner. The use of an ATS will help keep track and sort all the data you collect.

Keep InMail Professional 

Avoid being flagged for spamming and sending unsolicited messages. Be intentional when you use this feature. Utilize it as an avenue to connect with potential hires in a meaningful manner. Start with the reason for the message, pitch the role, then let them know why you think they are a great fit. A simple personalization can go a long way when it comes to your open and response rate.

What not to do on LinkedIn

While you can make LinkedIn work to your advantage, there are certain things that you must avoid to keep your efforts on the platform productive.

Post Ambiguous Job Descriptions

If the candidates are not sure of what is expected of them, this may cause them to lose interest or hesitate to apply for the job. Job descriptions must be complete and straightforward.

Forget to Network

Keep in mind that this is a social networking site, and in order for it to work, you need to network with people. This is how you build your brand and put your company’s name out there. Some of the best referrals or hires may come from one of your networks so this should be a priority on the platform.

Don’t Follow-up

Keep the momentum up by staying in touch with your potential candidates. Find a way to stir your candidates into action through gentle yet engaging follow-up messages. In addition, even if the candidate decides not to pursue the application, maintain the connection by letting them know you look forward to keeping in touch should they change their mind in the future.

Potentialpark has already announced the best Employers in 2022, including the Social Media category. TOP 5 companies in Asia with the best Social Media Talent Communication include Google, SAP, thyssenkrupp, Continental, and Thomson Reuters. In Europe, the list is the same, just with the new BT and without Thomson Reuters. These companies' career accounts in LinkedIn can be excellent and practical examples for other companies to use as inspiration.

LinkedIn is where the job seekers are, and when used strategically, it can help your company find the best talents to address your hiring needs.