Will the right recruits find you?
Recently Tara Cain a former Journalist now working as a Communications Specialist at Reckitt Benckiser posted an interesting question on LinkedIn.
The consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser wants graduates to be aware of the exciting career opportunities within the company.
They have utilised Facebook, Linked In and run an employee blog – but can Twitter help with an awareness-raising initiative too?
Should it be used for those purposes and will the right people be listening?
Firstly it was great to see that big companies are using the tools I have been talking to companies in the Recruiting industry about for some time and secondly the question prompter over twenty very useful responses. Once again re-enforcing the power of LinkedIn with answers like this one fromJames Ainsworth PR Support at BHP Information Solutions
Twitter is ideal for brands, in terms of monitoring brands and engaging with the target audience. It is easy to use Twitter tools to fine tune who you follow and who follows you and the word of mouth effect will work in your favour too if you use it correctly. The link below is an article explaining just why businesses should be on Twitter. It is a world of opportunity, not waiting to happen, but happening now….
http://www.marketingdonut.co.uk/marketing/internet-marketing/online-network…
and a list of companies who are using Twitter to recruit staff fromMike Ellsworth IT Program Director | LinkedIn Trainer | Facebook Trainer | Twitter Trainer | Social Media Consulting
AOL American Express Accenture ACULIS, Inc. ADP Allstate Insurance APCO Worldwide Apple Assurant Solutions AT&T
Burger King City of Kingston Clearspring Compuware comScore Davita, Inc. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Ecolab EDS EMC
Ernst and Young Expedia Follett Software Co. Forrester Research, Inc. Fullhouse Interactive Hallmark HCA Hershey
Hewitt Hitachi Consulting HomEq Servicing Hyatt Hotels & Resorts Intel Intercontinental Hotel Group J.B. Hunt
Kaplan Test Prep Services Keller Williams Realty Kissito Post-Acute Care KPMG Kroger LexisNexis Mattel McCormick & Schmick
McGladry Microsoft MTV Games MTV Networks New York Times nGenera PEAK6 Investments Raytheon Razorfish
Sodexo Southwest Airlines Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center Starbucks The Ritz-Carlton Thomson Reuters Time Warner
Twitter (of course!) United Parcel Service University of Pittsburgh Med Center UPMC US Dept. of State Verizon Warner Bros
Whistler Blackstone ZapposOthers have pointed out the demographics of Twitter, which are pretty inclusive, so pretty much any company can benefit from recruiting via Twitter.
So the the consensus answer is, yes. Brands should be on Twitter for lots of reasons, and recruiting is a big one and my consensus as always ———what a great source of free consulting, market research, mentoring etc LinkedIn can be if used to the max.
Hi there Rick
You are absolutely right that big companies should be using social media to reach out to their chosen ‘audiences’.
As you mentioned, the question prompted lots of really interesting comments so it’s clear that this is a subject very close to some people’s hearts.
However, it’s vital that it’s done properly and with total honesty and openness.
Reckitt Benckiser’s Twitterer (@edd_at_rb) is a real guy working in the new technologies department whose aim is to show what it’s like to work there and to share interesting news, links and information.
It’s about fitting yourself into the medium and adding value – not just trying to see what you can get out of it.
And I have to agree, the Linked In community really does come up with the goods when you need them to!
Tara said this on July 9, 2009 at 6:30 pm
Tara,
Thanks for that! We are in total agreement.
We will have our Grumpy Old Managers Guide to Social Media Marketing available on Monday so I will make sure I send you the download link … would appreciate your feedback.
I am particularly interested in using social media in Recruitment as i have a major Recruitment Consultancy among my clients …. so any stories that you develop in that area would be of interest.
Rick Carter
enovapr2 said this on July 10, 2009 at 8:45 am