A strategic social media recruitment effort can reach thousands almost instantly. Brands can leverage social media, search engines, job aggregators and job boards to empower their organisation and expand their reach, increasing the diversity of their talent pools and getting jobs in front of active and passive candidates that convert.

Focusing on social media, as a channel, businesses can create broad, yet targeted campaigns, at a lower cost than traditional methods. Brands can use social media to reach out to both passive and active candidates with information about job openings and the organisation. Furthermore, it enables HR departments to amplify their messages through online networking by utilising co-workers, professional connections, and associations.

In this article we will be exploring 4 key metrics that show the power of social media:

1) 62% of Gen Z have discovered job opportunities on social media

According to PWC, Gen Z and millennials currently make up approximately 38% of the global workforce and this will rise to about 58% by 2030.

Social media is a great way to reach new audiences; the key is to be agile enough to run campaigns across multiple channels to reach new audiences. TikTok, for example, is the current next-generation platform. With one billion monthly active users and is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms, especially among younger users. Four out of every ten of the app's 17 million regular users in the UK, who spend more than an hour using it per day, are between the ages of 18 and 24. Making it a great place to reach out to Gen Z talent.

At inploi, we understand that incorporating social media channels such as TikTok into a broad distribution network expands the reach and effectiveness of recruitment marketing campaigns. That is why we developed our Attract solution to connect you to the workforce of the future. With just one connection, inploi's distribution network provides immediate exposure to multiple audiences and millions of potential job seekers. Aiding organisations in developing a strong brand, diversifying their talent pool, and increasing candidate conversion.

2) 79% of job seekers use social media when searching for jobs

“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn a reputation by trying to do hard things well.”

- Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon

Just as companies use social media to vet prospective candidates, applicants use it to research companies. Following a company on social media can give users a behind-the-scenes look at its culture, clients, and work. Branding combines all aspects of an organisation, from makeup and purpose, to values, mission, and more, into a unified image. A positive employer brand conveys the message that the company is a good employer and a great place to work. Employer brand influences new employee recruitment, retention and engagement of current employees, and the company's overall market perception.

At inploi, we specialise in developing employer brands. Expertly designed campaign assets assist organisations in increasing employer brand awareness. We can assist in crafting social content that raises a company's profile with the candidates of tomorrow while converting the candidates of today. A positive brand image leads to effective recruitment.

3) 92% of employers use social media sites to find talent

“Social media allows you to make your jobs more human. Tell talent about the people behind your products. Don't second guess it”.

- Celinda Appleby, Director of Global Talent Attraction, Visa

Social media gives companies enhanced reach, more diversity, and the applications you need to make hires. On top of that, social media recruiting is financially advantageous to the organisation. Brands will be able to reduce hiring costs due to the low cost of social recruitment compared to advertisements and job boards. Giving HR departments savings of time, effort and budget.

Brands use inploi's Attract to get their jobs in front of active and passive candidates through targeted campaigns that convert. Using social media to open new channels and reach new audiences means being able to find the best talent more quickly. inploi reduced the cost per completed application by 65% at Haven. This meant that they didn't have to spend as much money on recruitment media (job boards, social etc.). In terms of numbers, inploi is hiring more employees for them than ever before while cutting their total media spend by 20%.

4) 73% of job seekers aged 18-34 found their most recent position via social media

"The secret of my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world."

- Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple

From likes to hires, nearly 3 out of 4 employees under the age of 34 found their last job using social recruitment. Social media makes a company's advertisements available to a larger audience of applicants, allowing them to find the best candidates. Advertising on social media allows organisations to focus more on hiring for specific positions, which can result in a faster hiring process. As well as new hires, social media advertising gets a business' name out there, helps build awareness and engages futures hires.

Using social media to assess candidates' interests as well as their personality and values. Companies can also reach a diverse range of candidates with a range of backgrounds and interests through social media, with more targeting options and a larger audience than traditional methods. inploi assists brands in broadening their reach and diversifying their talent pools. But it can be difficult to know where to focus when you have multiple roles to fill.

With 4.76 billion social media users worldwide in January 2023, demographics on various channels may surprise you. Every day, Generation Z uses up to three platforms: YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Millennials and Generation X, on the other hand, use 5-6 platforms at least weekly: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Facebook is the most popular and visited social media app among Generation X and Baby Boomers. Interestingly, Gen X social media users prefer short-form videos (53%), while Gen Z prefers long-form videos (42%). That is a trend, most would not expect.

The key is to be flexible and focus on channels that meet your hiring needs, whether it's TikTok for Gen Z or Facebook for Gen X. Using inploi's platform gives you a role-level view of applications from all sources, rules-based sponsorship, and programmatic job distribution. You will only sponsor jobs that require a boost.

We'll assist you in engaging everyone in society, from Generation Z to millennials to the grey workforce. You can reach out to underrepresented and minority groups with specialised D&I solutions. Working with inploi provides you with a single point of contact as well as a single source of unified data. You'll have the right candidates and more hours in your day. Get in touch to learn more today.