Recruiting With Web 2.0 - an overview

Blog: A web‐based journal created by single or multiple writers. Blogs allow for interactive feedback and comments from readers.
Wiki: A website created by a group of collaborative users. Wikis are constantly updated and edited by select users, keeping it fresh and up‐to date with the latest information.
Instant Messaging (IM): Real‐time communication between two or more people.
Podcast: An audio file distributed over the internet. Podcasts can be downloaded onto portable media devices, for playback anywhere, anytime.
RSS (Real Simple Syndication): Allows subscribers to receive automatic updates whenever new website content is available.
Search Engine: Retrieves information based upon specified keywords, i.e. Google, Yahoo, and Ask.com.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization): The process of increasing the website traffic produced from search engines.
Social Network Services (i.e. Facebook, MySpace, Ning): Web based services that allow users to create online communities based upon shared interests and activities. They provide different methods for interaction including messaging, email, blogs, video, and discussion groups.

Why are Web 2.0 Tools Important for Recruiters?

Many of the new social media tools can be leveraged by recruiters in order to aid in their recruitment efforts and gain a competitive advantage. For recruiters, Web 2.0 means an evolution in the way that information is transferred across the internet, a new virtual world where candidates are now more than ever, in control.

Understanding Web 2.0 can aid recruiters in providing these job seekers with the ultimate candidate experience and offer opportunities to engage them in completely new ways.

Apply Web 2.0 Tools to Your Recruitment Strategy

Recruitment Blogs: Recruitment blogs are a great way to interact with candidates and provide them with a sense of a company’s culture and work. Different companies can use recruitment blogs to fit their specific needs; whether to promote their brand or provide candidates with in‐depth look into the jobs they may be applying for. Regardless, recruitment blogs add an element of humanity to the hiring process and allow recruiters to find candidates that are qualified and that fit within their company’s culture.

Podcasts: Another great tool that recruiters can utilize to engage candidates. By incorporating podcasts into your Career Center, candidates can easily and quickly gain a vast amount of information about your company, culture, and work. Whether it’s an audio or video clip of an interview, company facilities, people, or daily work tasks, offering information in
this way allows candidates to experience your company, brand, and culture in a very real way.

RSS: RSS allows users to keep up with their favorite website, receiving updates in a constant, automated, and organized manner. In this same way, you can apply RSS feed to you Career Center website. By subscribing to your feed, candidates can easily receive constant updates on new positions that fit their qualifications. RSS Job Agents allow recruiters to stay constantly connected to candidates and ultimately reduce time‐to fill costs and other expenses.

SEO: In today’s Web 2.0 world, jobseekers look to the internet to search for jobs. Because of the increase in the use of search engines, recruiters can use best practices to improve search engine rankings, increase traffic to their Career Center site, build their company’s brand, and expand their pool of talent. Include words such as Jobs, Careers, Career Opportunities, etc. on your page. Consider utilizing Meta description, title, and incorporating career opportunities on
your webpage in order to improve search engine rankings.

Search Engines: Many search engines offer “suggestions” that allow you to see what terms jobseekers are searching for the most. Use this information to research terms associated with your brand and to identify new opportunities in job searches.

Social Networking Services: Use these networks as a sourcing tool to reach passive candidates and for hard to fill positions. These networks also allow recruiters to build a large and more diverse talent pool. In order to be effective, however, recruiters need to devote enough time to maintain their social networks.

• LinkedIn‐Largest networking site for professionals. Offers a great way to find candidates for niche and hard‐to fill positions. Can search for candidates, research their past experience and education, and even view recommendations.

• Facebook: If you’re searching for recent graduates and young professionals, chances are you’ll find them on Facebook. Although recruiters won’t find all the information as clearly structured as it is on LinkedIn, it still offers an opportunity to search and reach out to college‐aged candidates. Done well, a company Facebook page can also serve to promote your brand to the college graduate you may be looking for.

• Ning: Largest number of social networks on the internet, featuring pages that are completely
customizable and on a programmable platform. Sites like Ning offer recruiters the opportunity to create or become part of a large online community. Recruiters can not only search for passive candidates via these communities but should also join them to network and share best practices with fellow HR professionals.

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