Let’s be honest, Facebook is probably the number one social media site most people will participate in online. Their most recent stats say that they had 936 million daily active users on average for March 2015. For those of us who use it know that it allows you to connect with friends, family, peers, and in general those that “travel in your circle.” So most of us agree that it's a great place to "hang out" online. That said, is it the best place to recruit for talent? Facebook is not known to be a professional social networking site such as LinkedIn. As a recruiter, I have heard arguments for using - and not using - Facebook as a means to recruit and find qualified candidates. Let’s take a little time to examine the Pros and Cons of using Facebook to recruit.
Pros Vs. Cons of Facebook for Recruiting
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Applicants are Everywhere
- PRO: Facebook has more available candidates than a recruiter could ever ask and look for. Everyone and their mother, literally, are on Facebook.
- CON: There are candidate’s everywhere, but are they truly qualified for the position? Unfortunately, Facebook is not typically a place where an applicant may post their resume or have a professional profile listed. At best, you may see the candidate’s current profession and/or employer. However, your ability to see a profile is not guaranteed as it could be set to private. Should it be a private profile you will more than likely only see a picture and/or a candidate’s name.
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Professional or Personal Information
- PRO: Although Facebook is typically used for personal reasons, some still use the site for networking purposes. It is an ideal place for recruiters to turn a “Facebook friend” into a candidate. Any “friends” can potentially become a professional relationship.
- CON: Most people and/or prospective candidates use Facebook for personal reasons and feel as though their personal and professional lives should be separate. Recruiters using Facebook to make a professional connection could be a turnoff to a candidate.
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Sourcing for Talent
- PRO: As the recruiter, should you find qualified talent on Facebook, it may be through a company’s page. Many candidates follow their company’s Facebook page. Here is where you may have an opportunity to source for candidates. Take a look at the candidates name and then source for them on another social media site, LinkedIn, Twitter or possibly a job board such as Monster, CareerBuilder, or Indeed.
- CON: Not everyone that follows a company or organization is an employee. So, be aware of this factor when sourcing for candidates via Facebook.
Social media itself is subjective and can have its pros and cons when seeking qualified talent whether it’s LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. As a professional recruiter, utilize your professional judgment on whether a social media site would provide you with the best means to hire qualified talent.