It is no secret that social media is a hot topic right now. From a business standpoint, you know that social media can be a powerful tool for marketing and recruiting.

But what about your candidates? Do they realize the effect that  social media is having on their job search efforts?

Most employers will at least do a Google search of anyone they are interested in hiring. What they find can be damaging to a job search and a career.

Make sure that you are conducting these same search before sending a candidate out on an interview. Remember, they are representing your firm and this is just another way to manage your brand online.

The following article has some great tips for how employers are using social media, and how to clean-up any “digital dirt” that you may have.

Digital “dirt” can haunt your job search

We have all heard so much lately about the importance of developing our skills in social media as it applies to business. Well, some of you out there probably have not even started to get your feet wet in this fast growing arena yet. 

Want to know what it’s all about?  I read a really good article called “Get Started With Social Media”.  So, for all you beginners out there, take the plunge and jump in!

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a Blog

With your business objectives defined and audience’s behavior understood, it’s time to step into the social Web. Look through the following list, then pick one and give it a try:

1. Facebook. Facebook gives you access to a quarter of a billion people, plus or minus. Of course, your mileage may vary — and probably will since you’ll want to be more focused about who you target on Facebook. This is something else that the site allows you to do very easily through its 30-second setup display ads platform. Facebook also offers Business Pages, complete with viewership stats via the Insights data available to Business Page administrators. You can embed Facebook applications in your business page, and you can drive traffic to it since the business page, unlike a Facebook Group, can be viewed (but not interacted with) by non-members of Facebook. One caution: Facebook’s terms of service prohibit one individual (read “person” and not e-mail address) from having more than one Facebook account. This means that your personal life, assuming you have one and assuming that some part of it is posted on Facebook, is potentially merged with the business page you’re managing. Facebook itself separates the two, but not all Facebook applications do. Word to the wise, and look for this to be cleared up as Facebook pages become (even) more popular.
2. Twitter. Enough said, right? No, of course not. Twitter may be the hot app right now, but that’s not enough of a business reason to use it. Here’s what is: Your customers use Twitter to talk about you. Hot or not, Twitter is a lay-up for listening. Set yourself up on Twitter, go easy on the “all about me” tweets, and use a client like TweetDeck to search for mentions of your brand, product, or service in real time, as well as those of your competitors. You’ll be fairly amazed at what you find and at how easy it is to keep abreast of conversations that matter to you.
3. LinkedIn. No doubt you know that LinkedIn offers a network directory service. I’ll bet you’re a member of LinkedIn, too. But did you know that you can create a company page? Just like your profile, you can create a page that represents your company and connects all the people who work there. Beware, though. Because there is no control on who people claim to work for and because some companies have the same or similar names, your company page may well include people who don’t work there. In the LinkedIn search box, choose the “Company” tab and then enter your company’s name. To remove people who don’t belong, you’ll need to e-mail LinkedIn Customer Service. It should be easier than that and over time probably will be. But, hey, it’s free, and it’s a start.
4. Your business blog. I saved this for last because it’s often the anchor of everything else. Your blog is where you get to talk, in depth, about things you are passionate about, about your industry, and about events and legislation related to it. Your blog is very attractive to search engines, and by linking your other social profiles and pages to it you increase the visibility of all the components of your social program. Don’t have a blog? You can set one up at Wordpress.com in under 10 minutes. Quite seriously, blogging is a social media best practice.

Read the full article at “Get Started With Social Media”

If you would like more information on adding a blog or social media to your website, please email me at paula@haleymarketing.com or call us at 1-888-696-2900.

Just surfing social media sites, and I came across an interesting article on the problems  Twitter is having in creating a sustainable  business model.  The good news? Their CEO recognized the problem and is working on ideas to capitalize on this powerful microblogging tool.

Check out: The Case Against Twitter

And as a counter balance to that article, here’s another article with 62 ideas for using Twitter as a marketing and personal branding tool:

62 Twitter Marketing Tips and Ideas

So how can your staffing firm use Twitter?
Here are 10 ideas:

• Tweet jobs to candidates who want up to the minute info
• Follow thought leaders in the recruiting profession
  (you can learn a lot from the ideas and tools they share)
• Follow thought leaders in the industries you serve
  (stay up to date with your clients–and one step ahead of competitors)
• Solicit feedback from your candidates
• Use TweetDeck to watch for information posted on your firm,
  your clients or about new jobs for the types of people you place.
• Promote content on your website
• Hold special referral contents only via Twitter
• Follow as many local HR people as you can – build personal
  relationships and learn about their challenges
• Use hashtags to create local groups or track local job opportunities.
• Cultivate relationships with candidates who are active on social media.

Interested in experimenting with Twitter? This video offers a general overview of some best practices to consider when Tweeting.

For Staffing and Recruiting Agencies, here are some specific suggestions when starting out on Twitter:

• Twitter Basics
  - Be polite
  - Make friends
  - Start Conversations
  - Ask and Answer Questions
• Determine Your Goals for Twitter
  Decide what your true goals really are.  While just gaining a bit of publicity and name recognition can be a good thing, you should really shoot higher.  Are you interested in driving more candidates to your job postings?  Would you like to be seen as a thought leader by local HR professionals?  Defining your goals up front can help you become much more focused and provide better “tweets” to your followers.
• Follow the Right People on Twitter
  Search for people that are already discussing the topics that interest you and begin following them.  Join in on conversations when relevant.  Ask questions, provide feedback, and contribute helpful information.  Look for people that post updates about local business, seek our specialists in your industry, find other recruiters, and begin following HR experts.  Before you know it you’ll not only find a wealth of helpful information from the people you’re following, but you’ll begin building your own list of followers.
• Share Relevant Information with your Twitter Followers
  Do people really care what you had for breakfast this morning?  Probably not.  While sharing personal information once in a while can help you build more personal relationships on Twitter, don’t make it your core focus.  Instead share helpful and relevant information that your followers will appreciate. Here are a few examples:
  - Updates on HR Laws and Legislation
  - Hiring and Interviewing Best Practices
  - Job Search Tips
  - Local Salary Information
  - Local Business News and Updates
  - Profiles of Your Top Available Candidates
  - Top Available Job Openings
  - The list could go on and on but I’m sure you get the picture!
• What Not to Do on Twitter
  Once you make a post, that information is available to the public.  Don’t say anything you will regret or anything that could tarnish your image.  So you may want to consider tableing the foul language, derogatory comments, negativity and youthful exploits.

If you would like to discuss getting started on Twitter or ways to leverage other Social Networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Plaxo, LinkedIn and others please email me at bsmith@haleymarketing.com.