Hiring Via Social Media

As social media continues to increase in popularity, nonprofits are turning to it for their hiring needs. The ability to reach out to countless users makes it a perfect match for recruitment. If you haven't yet considered using this medium for your recruiting efforts, it's time to start brainstorming.

One of the great things about social networking sites is the ability to quickly share information. A brief scan of Twitter or Facebook feeds will reveal tons of links to information the user finds useful. You can use this ability to maximize the exposure of your job postings. The minute you have a new position open, use Twitter to send the link to your followers. I find Twitter to be the most useful of the social networking tools because of its ability to reach everybody, not just the people who follow you.

That's not to say Facebook or LinkedIn are not useful. What I especially like about Facebook are the applications you can make to enhance your page. For example, we have a full-fledged career center app on our Facebook page that lists all of the postings from the Nonprofit Job Seeker. You can explore similar applications to increase your followers' awareness of your most recent job postings.

Finally, use your social network to give an inside view of your organization. Share photos of a recent office party, or something else that will give prospective employees a better idea of your organization's culture. It's important to remember that this remains an important factor when people choose a job; nobody wants to work in an office that doesn't seem enjoyable.

Has your nonprofit had much success using social media as a recruiting tool? Share your experiences in the comments section.