A bad recruiting experience can burn bridges not only with candidates, but also with their circles. You never know where you’ll find the smart and talented candidate your company needs -- and, with the skills gap ever widening, your company can’t really afford to block off potentially huge segments of the talent pool. After all, a bad experience or a disgruntled tweet can quickly go viral.
In 2013, 75 percent of job seekers never actually heard back from employers about a job, a CareerBuilder survey found. This employer bad behavior extends to even more advanced segments of the recruiting process. In fact, 60 percent of those interviewed never heard back from employers even after an interview, whether in-person or through online video.
It’s not hard to imagine why a candidate would feel disgruntled to never receive the courtesy of an emailed rejection. Yet social media is amplifying the traditional word-of-mouth, and for careless employers, this can spell disaster.
According to the CareerBuilder survey, 42 percent of candidates who had a bad experience would write off the company, forever. Far more troubling, however, is the fact that 22 percent of candidates would advise others to avoid the employer at all costs. In today’s socially connected world, a bad experience can go much further and a warning against a company can be far-reaching.
Change the Conversation
You need to be the shepherd of your company’s employer brand. This means paying attention to what people are saying about your company online and building up a social presence likely to make candidates interested in your open positions.
Here are a few ways to take the employer brand social, protect your reputation, and hire the right people:
Tell your story
Social media is a great tool for incorporating your employer brand into your company’s narrative. Use your social channels, whether Facebook or Pinterest, to share the company story. Show off your company culture, share your mission statement, and give insight into your company values. Great employer brands are made with a little bit of storytelling and a commitment to a consistent voice.
Show off your fun side
Why should people want to work for your company? This is the question you should keep first and foremost in your mind as you post content to social media. Show off the perks your employees enjoy, take pictures at the recent company picnic, and don’t be afraid to show your employees cutting loose. We all spend a lot of time at work, and interested candidates will be glad to see not all of it will be spent chained to their cubicles.
Avoid bad press
Even if your candidate experience is usually perfect, there’s always the possibility for hurt feelings and bad blood. Social media is a great tool in order to get your company out in front of any potential bad press. Connect personally with candidates or employees who are unhappy, listen to the complaints, and take concrete actions to address concerns. Everyone makes mistakes, but if interested candidates see the company is willing to work to address problems, you’ll attract great people who are impressed with your honesty and integrity.
Connect with top talent
Social media can be a great place to connect with top talent, not just when there’s a crisis in the air. Use social channels from Twitter chats to LinkedIn groups to connect with the movers and shakers in your industry. While your own social channels are the right places to promote your company culture and send invitations to video interview, other social destinations can be the right place to take part in an industry-related discussion or share advice. Give back some of your wisdom to others, and candidates will be more interested to hear what you have to say.
Social media may sometimes seem like more of a curse than a blessing, but it’s a great way to build up an employer brand, keep your company honest, and connect personally with candidates. Using social channels, you can address concerns, smooth the candidate experience, and build an employer brand likely to attract the top talent your company needs.
Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video interview solution used by more than 2,000 companies across the globe. Learn more about combining video interviewing with social media and connect with Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.