Even the landscaping companies have joined the wagon, utilizing social media for their marketing and recruiting campaigns. They understand that using traditional marketing and taking advantage of Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn gives them more exposure and connects them with job seekers.
According to corporate training firm Elevate Corporate Training, social media recruitment is not just posting on job boards or websites. The secret to finding the best candidates is being proactive and knowing where the candidates are.
Common mistakes to avoid in social media recruiting
Mistakes can cost the landscaping business money, time and opportunity to hire the best candidate, so keep the following in mind:
1. Lack of a clear social media hiring strategy
As with the traditional recruitment process, it is necessary to create a well-organized social media hiring strategy. Without a plan, there’s a tendency to be overwhelmed by many options and lose sight of your hiring objectives.
Strategizing is about choosing one or two platforms to reach a multitude of prospective job candidates. You need to know where the most skilled and talented landscapers are, especially if you have limited time to communicate with applicants or don’t have enough manpower to assist you with pre-evaluation.
2. No target audience
If you want to attract the best candidates to be part of your organization, do not forget to define your target market. Your goal is to reach the most qualified and skilled people. Begin by defining the type of professional landscaper you want to hire. List the qualities, experiences or credentials you want him/her to possess. This helps you target candidates who fit into your niche or preferences.
Moreover, targeting the right market boosts the company’s social presence. To zero in the right social media channels, you need to spend time researching your competition, study the demographics of potential hires and check out where these people spend their time.
3. Not having a compelling social media profile
If you want to attract landscaping experts, do not forget to make your company profile exciting and updated. Catch the interest of your target recruits by making sure that when they check your website, they find it compelling. Attract potential candidates by giving them a reason to discover more about your company.
Your website should contain visuals and stories about your previous projects. Share information about the benefits and perks of working in the company, the work culture, the mission and vision and accurate contact information. Promote your brand’s character by posting valuable, informative, entertaining and positive content.
Smart recruitment teams also know that authentic connection comes from building a relationship first. You need to use the opportunity to establish social connections with your existing and potential customers. So, when the time comes that you need to hire people and post a job notice, you will attract enthusiastic applicants who already know your company.
You don’t need to have a blast of posting on different social media platforms because you already have followers waiting for the chance to work with you or help to share the information.
4. Not maximizing social media to build an authentic connection
First and foremost, all potential hires are consumers. But, a lot of consumers are trying to escape social media ads by blocking them. So, it’s possible not to reach your target audience even if you use social feeds to boost the recruitment campaign.
Networking is vital. It helps you establish a social media presence. When people talk about your business, you convert them into potential followers and consumers. Joining groups where there is an active interaction about landscaping and related matters are great venues to source information. Some groups allow ad posting, so connect with the admins to help you find qualified people to fill up your company’s vacancy. Tailor your social media post to stand out from other companies who are also looking for skilled individuals.
5. Posting generic job ads
Many people see generic messages as spam, irrelevant and uninteresting. You need to sell your company, even if you are recruiting potential employees. The content should entice your target audience to apply and be part of your company, and recruitment teams should avoid posting ads that don’t have relevant and clear content.
Job applicants are most likely to pick companies they believe would give them opportunities to grow their skills and earn more. If they are already following your page, they probably have an idea of your work culture. If you are posting a status about the job opportunity, create a powerful message. Make it fun, engaging and positive. Look for possible grammatical errors, poor punctuations and wrong spelling. You can also try posting a video message.
6. Judging candidates too quickly
Recruitment teams should not judge candidates based on their online profiles. Rejecting applicants outright or crossing them off the list just because of their social media content is unfair. It isn’t wise to disregard a candidate because his/her profile is too minimal, not updated or does not conform to your standards.
Avoid personal biases that can cause unintentional elimination of the best people for the company. Some of the candidates are passive in social media, while others are fond of sharing every small milestone or event in their lives.
Social media recruiting is not just about finding the right people to be part of your team. Rather, it is about optimizing its power to boost your brand and attract the best candidates for the job. Be consistent in posting valuable information that your followers will love to share.
Find success in recruitment by recognizing the importance of networking, engaging with the right people and having fresh content. Once covered, competent professionals will surely desire to work with you.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was written by Angeline Licerio. Licerio is a content writer for Elevate Corporate Training, a team of corporate trainers committed to improving the performance of individuals and teams within organizations.
