By Josh Weichhand

In the discussion of how companies will include social media into their business strategy, there is always the struggle of finding practical uses for the medium. Thankfully for HR professionals, one trending topic is the increasing use of social media as part of the hiring process, or recruiting 2.0.

In an age of interconnectivity, one of the most useful features of social media is that it provides a glimpse into an applicant’s professional and personal nature. Networking websites like LinkedIn and Facebook integrate an individual’s professional achievements with their relationships and interests, allowing one to not only access an applicant’s resume or work experience, but an entire community of corroborators who could attest to their value and character.

Businesses are catching on. Chris Pintilla, a writer for Entrepreneur.com’s HR blog, wrote about a recent survey of hiring managers, which found that social media is playing an increasing role in their hiring decisions. According to the results, out of 100 managers surveyed:

75 percent go to LinkedIn to research job candidates before making a job offer, while 48 percent check out Facebook and 26 percent go to Twitter. When asked where they find talent for job openings, 66 percent said LinkedIn, 23 percent said Facebook and 16 percent said Twitter.

Are you up-to-date on social media?

Here are four tips for integrating social media into your company’s recruiting strategy:

1. Create a social media presence. By creating a LinkedIn profile and a Facebook page, you are inviting outside users, community members and job applicants to learn more about your brand and culture. Attempt to build a following by posting information about the company and its mission. Take opportunities to interact with users more personally by asking questions and posting surveys. This is a great opportunity to see prospective applicants align themselves with your company’s brand before the interview.
2. Use social media as a means to broadcast new opportunities. Twitter’s usage grew by 752 percent in 2008 and 1,382 percent in 2009. In the summer of 2009, Twitter passed 50 million unique users. With growth like this, Twitter and other social media utilities are ripe with opportunities to connect your business with a vast online community. Use a Twitter account or a Facebook fan page to list open positions or future opportunities. Then, invite other users to forward the information to their own followers and friends.
3. Do your homework. Social media is a two-way street. Make sure you research your potential applicant’s online persona. Use Twitter feeds and Facebook profiles to get a sense of an applicant’s personality and interests outside of work. Check out their LinkedIn profile to view their job experience and professional connections. But remember to use fair judgment. It’s a fine line between research and Big Brother, and this isn’t 1984.
4. Measure your results. If used properly, social media can be an incredible help to HR professionals. Prepare to keep track of your social media success by asking applicants how they found out about the company or the position.

Click here for more tips on harnessing social media for your company.

Filed under: Uncategorized