Searching for the ideal candidate in an age where there are more social media platforms than ever before can feel like a wild goose chase. While traditional methods of recruitment no longer hold their original charm as a standalone method to recruit talented employees, paired with the power of social media – they can generate fruitful results.

Social media platforms are free for all and prescribed to no particular age group or profession which gives you a lucky dip from an unlimited talent pool. It provides insight into the professional lives of potential candidates, including their experiences at work, career history and more importantly, whether they’re on the lookout for new job opportunities.

Does social media overtake traditional recruitment methods?

Social media provides an open channel through which businesses and recruiters can headhunt candidates on a global scale and simultaneously approach those that appear to meet the criteria. It provides a gateway to an informal chat which could otherwise take weeks to arrange through an alternative route. Although this route requires time, it is cost-efficient and highly productive when it converts.

Social media also provides a platform with a vast geographical stretch through which businesses can post behind-the-scenes coverage of work events and employee experiences to support recruitment efforts.

Research conducted by LinkedIn delved into the dependence of job seekers on LinkedIn and retention rates.

• Over 75% of people who recently changed jobs used LinkedIn to inform their career decision
• New employees sourced through LinkedIn are 40% less likely to leave the company within the first six months
• 49% of professionals follow companies on social media to stay aware of job opportunities

The LinkedIn recruitment journey is powered by establishing a professional company page and pushing out quality content to attract candidates to your brand. Candidates are also required to maintain CVs in the form of their LinkedIn profiles by adding detailed descriptions of job positions and attracting endorsements.

In addition to LinkedIn, the likes of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram paint a character profile of potential candidates, such as their interests and values, which encourages employers to use social media as a recruitment tool to complement traditional recruitment practices.

The type of candidates that you wish to reach may reside on social media platforms that best suit their trade. While Pinterest is the virtual home of creatives and a global source of inspiration, LinkedIn houses professionals on all stages of the career ladder to share their milestones, work-life achievements and more importantly – their job search status, for which LinkedIn expertly services.

Why LinkedIn is tailormade for candidates and recruiters

LinkedIn, the professional networking platform doubles as a recruitment tool. LinkedIn Recruiter provides direct entry to the inboxes of potential candidates which is proven to enjoy higher response rates compared to cold calls or emails, and access to an extensive search facility and talent management pipeline.

The social media platform creates a bridge for candidates to recruiters. LinkedIn’s job search functions include job alerts and the option to let recruiters know if a particular user is open to new job opportunities.

The platform is tailored to facilitate the recruitment process for both recruiters and candidates, which makes it a crucial component of the recruitment journey.

This blog is a guest post from Jon Munnery, a company liquidation expert at UK Liquidators, a trusted provider of company closure advice for company directors in financial distress.