LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, has recently announced that it now has more than 20 million members in the UK which means that nearly six out of ten of the UK’s workforce now use its platform. More than two billion people actively use social media so why are nearly half of employers not using social media as their main source to recruit new staff, particularly young professionals?
Many employers using social media to recruit have found a significant improvement in the quality of candidates compared with traditional recruitment methods. Other advantages are:
- It’s free!
- You can reach a wider range of potential candidates on media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn
- You can link applicants to an on-line application process
- It can strengthen your employer brand by marketing your business as an attractive employer, sharing your vision and values and work ethic to potential candidates
- You can engage with passive candidates who may not currently be looking for a new job and convert them to active jobseekers interested in working for you
- By using key word searches you can target your audience and reach them quicker than ever before
According to LinkedIn’s data insights, the top five most represented industries on their platform are IT & services, construction, hospital & healthcare, retail and financial services.