Social media and the evolution of recruitment in South Africa
Our team at i-Check Data Solutions decided to put this article together to highlight how social media and the evolution of recruitment in South Africa is going to keep recruiters and employers on their toes when hiring new candidates. South Africa is going through a tough economic patch currently, we are seeing record levels of unemployment and finding that perfect job is just become that much tougher. Traditionally finding a job has never been a simple process and finding the right person to join your company is like finding a needle in a haystack.
However, with the advent of social media, it has definitely made it simpler for companies and candidates to engage and find each other. Candidates that have taken to using social media platforms to boost their CV’s are seeing a direct benefit as more and more companies have started active campaigns to screen potential job seekers by reviewing their social profiles before making an appointment decision.
Boosting and using social media platforms isn’t just benefiting job seekers, companies that have taken steps to open Twitter accounts and LinkedIn profiles are also noticing that they are attracting higher quality candidates who are keen to join the company.
Social media offers three primary solutions to the recruitment industry.
Headhunting the talent:
One of the most obvious trends that social media helped develop was that individuals began to post their work histories and professional career growth online. Sites such as LinkedIn, have helped people to provide the world with a clear snapshot of their professional careers.
Web portals such as Career junction and Careers 24, have allowed candidates the opportunity to keep their CV’s up to date and in an easy to read format, this makes it possible for recruiters to search for potential candidates via these portals to get an idea of the talent pool before investing in advertising the newly opened position.
Personal Profiling:
The job market is becoming very competitive and therefore it is vital that you stand out from the crowd, people who take steps to set up clear online profiles of their skills and achievements will be in a better position to impress potential recruiters and clearly display their value as an employee.
Social screening is the process of searching for potential candidates in social websites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter in order to qualify the candidate for a position. Social screening allows employers to find out information from candidates that is often difficult to discover through the interview process.
These discoveries can be both negative and positive.
The positive side of social screening:
- They get a feel for the personality of the candidate.
- They can verify the qualification of the candidate.
- Creative people often use social platforms to express their creativity.
- Employers can get an idea of the communication skills of the candidate.
- Social Sites like LinkedIn can provide further recommendations for the candidate.
The negative side of social screening:
- Inappropriate photographs can raise warning flags about the personality of the candidate.
- Drug abuse could become apparent.
- Bad-mouthing previous employers can show the candidates work ethic.
- Identify poor communication skills.
- The candidate may be sharing confidential business information of previous or current employers.
As the competition grows with candidates profiling themselves online and recruiters expecting to socially screen candidates, it is impossible to ignore the value of building your personal profile online.
Business Profiling
Lastly, companies need to start the process of creating company profiles of themselves online. We are not talking about a website, that is important too, instead, we are saying that a company needs to use LinkedIn to display its presence, get a Facebook page and use Twitter to let its clients know about trends and developments.
This has become increasingly important with a younger generation who is looking for a company that has a deeper sense of purpose, and a heart for social values. These young people are looking for more than opportunity and salary, they need to know they share the same moral compass and that they can achieve the work-life balance they are searching for.
The push and pull of recruiting on social media
It is becoming more evident as social media matures in the business world that there needs to be a two-way approach to recruitment. Headhunting and Social Screening help business to find the right people, whilst personal profiling and business profiling help people find the right business.