Sep 9, 2009
Using Social Media to Hire Freelancers and Employees
Using social media websites to find new talent for your company can be very effective. Whether you are searching for a designer to spruce up your website, a writer to revamp your copy, or a digital PR specialist to run your next online marketing campaign, social media networks can be a highly valuable resource. The first step in finding people to hire on social media websites is to hang out where they hang out and connect with them on a personal level.
Twitter
In order to find your target audience and hire new talent, a good place to start is Twitter. Connections on Twitter take place instantly, and many people use Twitter to search for job opportunities. To get started with hunting for new talent on Twitter, search for your target terms to see who is tweeting about them. For example, you can do searches for terms like “plumber,” “interior decorator,” and “web designer.” You can also use Twitter Job Search. It is a great place for people to look for work and likewise, it is a great place for employers to find employees.
Another way to find talent on Twitter is to tweet about it to your followers. Tell them what kind of job you are trying to fill and ask them to re-tweet your update. If tons of your followers re-tweet your update, you will receive lots of inquiries from your followers, their followers, and their followers’ followers. In sum, you will be able to reach a vast network of talent.
Hold a Contest
Another great way to find new talent is to hold a contest. For example, if you are looking for someone to design a logo for your company, you can hold a contest and announce it on all the social media networks you participate in. The designer who wins the contest will receive lots of exposure and a prize in return while the other designers will also receive some exposure. It is a win-win situation for both you and the contest participants.
Other Useful Social Media Networks
Other social media networks that are useful when it comes to searching for new talent include LinkedIn and forums. LinkedIn is a networking website for professionals. It has a great search function and provides you with a wealth of information about talented people you can hire. Profiles on LinkedIn provide information such as educational background and employment history.
Forums can also be useful when you are looking for someone to fill a position. By networking with forum participants, you can spread the word fast and generate lots of leads.
Social media networks can also be used to do background checks when you are hiring people to fill a position. Your social media participation is a reflection of who you are. In order to determine whether or not the talent you find is fit for the job, you can simply look at their past tweets, comments, and what not to see if they are suitable for the position.
Keep in mind that prospective employees can also learn a lot about your company based on your social media and overall online presence. Online reputation management is important since prospective employees may or may not take the job based on the information they find about your company online.
In order to find your target audience and hire new talent, a good place to start is Twitter. Connections on Twitter take place instantly, and many people use Twitter to search for job opportunities. To get started with hunting for new talent on Twitter, search for your target terms to see who is tweeting about them. For example, you can do searches for terms like “plumber,” “interior decorator,” and “web designer.” You can also use Twitter Job Search. It is a great place for people to look for work and likewise, it is a great place for employers to find employees.
Another way to find talent on Twitter is to tweet about it to your followers. Tell them what kind of job you are trying to fill and ask them to re-tweet your update. If tons of your followers re-tweet your update, you will receive lots of inquiries from your followers, their followers, and their followers’ followers. In sum, you will be able to reach a vast network of talent.
Hold a Contest
Another great way to find new talent is to hold a contest. For example, if you are looking for someone to design a logo for your company, you can hold a contest and announce it on all the social media networks you participate in. The designer who wins the contest will receive lots of exposure and a prize in return while the other designers will also receive some exposure. It is a win-win situation for both you and the contest participants.
Other Useful Social Media Networks
Other social media networks that are useful when it comes to searching for new talent include LinkedIn and forums. LinkedIn is a networking website for professionals. It has a great search function and provides you with a wealth of information about talented people you can hire. Profiles on LinkedIn provide information such as educational background and employment history.
Forums can also be useful when you are looking for someone to fill a position. By networking with forum participants, you can spread the word fast and generate lots of leads.
Social media networks can also be used to do background checks when you are hiring people to fill a position. Your social media participation is a reflection of who you are. In order to determine whether or not the talent you find is fit for the job, you can simply look at their past tweets, comments, and what not to see if they are suitable for the position.
Keep in mind that prospective employees can also learn a lot about your company based on your social media and overall online presence. Online reputation management is important since prospective employees may or may not take the job based on the information they find about your company online.
