It’s not quite widespread yet, but more companies are starting to use Web sites like Facebook and MySpace to recruit employees.
Only 9% of HR pros frequently use those sites to recruit, according to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM). But that’s a big jump from the 2% that did so in 2006.
Also, 56% said they never go to the sites. In 2006, more than three quarters of the respondents gave the same answer.
With so few employers using the sites regularly, it could give your HR department a chance to get a leg up on the competition.
The pros
What are the benefits of recruiting through Facebook, MySpace and other social networking sites? The most common reasons HR pros gave for using them were the abilities to:
- reach candidates who aren’t actively looking for a job (69%)
- target a specific level of experience (40%)
- find someone with specific skills (38%), and
- increase employer brand recognition (35%).
The cons
The biggest reason employers have for avoiding those sites: concerns about legality.
By looking at a candidate’s online profile, hiring managers may inadvertently learn about someone’s membership in a protected class. Therefore, making a decision based on online information could leave the company open to bias claims.
Other reasons employers have for not using social networking sites to recruit:
- don’t have enough HR staff to try new recruiting methods (49%)
- not sure everything users post about themselves is true (42%), and
- most information on the sites is not work-related or useful (36%).
What about your company? Have you tried recruiting candidates on Facebook, MySpace or related sites? Has it been successful?
Let us know by leaving a comment below.
