If you’re hiring students and grads, then it’s no secret that social media is where you need to be. Still, setting up an online account and posting a couple of times does not guarantee that your talent pool will “like” you in droves.

If you’re looking for some inspiration for your social recruiting efforts, then you’ve come to the right place! Employers on TalentEgg are egg-ceptional at using social media to connect with students and new grads.

‘Follow’ their lead with these top 10 tips for social recruiting success.

1. Be human

Remember – people connect with people, not brands. If you want students and grads to connect and identify with your organization, using social media can help by putting a face to your brand.

IBM knows using emojis can be a great way to add some personality to your social media presence.

2. Be authentic

Just because you’re recruiting students and grads, doesn’t mean you need to use slang terms and cheesy memes to relate to them. Embrace your own authenticity – you’ll attract candidates that share the same core values as your organization.

Here at TalentEgg, we love a good egg pun – and our followers do too!

3. Share quality content

When you take the time to share content that is relevant and useful to students and grads, it shows them that you’re listening and tuned into their needs and wants.

EF Tours helps their student travelers prepare for their trips by sharing useful content like this.

4. Think content marketing, not job board

Social media should be just that – social. If you’re only posting job openings on your accounts, you’re missing out on the chance to really connect with your talent pool.

Public Outreach uses their Twitter to post jobs AND share content related to the charity organizations they support.

5. Advertise visually

Of course, you can’t forget the recruiting part of “social recruiting,” but you can get a little creative with your job ads by thinking visually. These will stand out to students and grads much more than a basic “now hiring” tweet or text post.

KPMG created this Instagram post to showcase one of the many valuable roles within the company.

6. Stay timely

A social post that references a popular event or holiday can be great for boosting engagement. It also gives you the chance to have a little fun with your followers – an important factor in building a Gen-Y focused employer brand.

This Thanksgiving themed infographic from RBC is a great example of a fun and professional social post.

7. Consistency is key

If you want to stay top-of-mind with your Gen-Y followers, you need to post consistently. Otherwise, your quality content will get lost in the shuffle.

TJX Canada regularly shows off their employees’ killer style with their #TJXDressCode series.

8. Engage, engage, engage

Don’t just tweet and retweet. Start conversations, ask questions, and create original content. Share pictures, videos, maybe an inspirational quote or two! If you want to engage students and grads, don’t talk at them – talk with them.

Grant Thornton shared this message to inspire and motivate their Twitter followers.

9. Use hashtags

Adding popular hashtags to your social posts will increase their reach and will make them more searchable. You can also create your own hashtags and use them to start conversations with your followers.

Freedom 55 uses the hashtags #55reasons and #LoveThisCareer to build brand engagement on Twitter!

10. Build trust

You can go on and on about your great company culture, but students and grads need to see it to believe it. Sharing pictures and videos of fun moments within the company will portray your work culture positively, and give candidates the valuable insights they’re looking for.

This picture from CNRL perfectly captures the company’s team-focused work culture!

 

Discussion: What types of social media do you use to reach students and grads?

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