You know social media is a good way to market to your customers, but did you know it can also help you find your next employee? The latest recruiting trend is hiring via Twitter, says Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of LaSalle Network, a Chicago-based recruiting agency.
"Small business owners need to take advantage of every opportunity when finding the best person to hire," he says. "Companies that aren't using Twitter to find candidates are limiting their resources."
When used the right way, social media can play an important role in the recruiting and screening phases of your hiring process. Gimbel offers entrepreneurs three reasons why they should consider Twitter when looking for their next employee.
1. Job postings reach people looking for work -- tweets reach fans.
When you post a position on an online job board, you reach the hundreds or thousands of people looking for a job, but when you post your job opportunity on Twitter, you reach people who are already familiar with your company. Gimbel says most companies use their Twitter account for marketing purposes, but sending out a tweet about a job opening will bring a different level of candidates.
"People who already like your company are probably following you," he says. "They may or may not be actively in the job market, but seeing your tweet may make them consider applying."
Related: 5 Ways to Recruit Rock-Star Employees on a Budget
2. You can easily leverage your network.
Gimbel says an important part to writing a Twitter job opportunity post, is to ask for a re-tweet. For example, you might post: "Looking for a marketing supervisor, awesome opp. Huge growth. Please RT."
"Asking for the retweet is becoming a lost art," says Gimbel. "When asked, most people are willing to retweet, and you can easily leverage your network and get your message spread."
3. You get a window into a candidate's personality.
While Facebook is normally used for personal relationships and LinkedIn for professional networking, Twitter can be a bit of both. The smartest managers look at Twitter after an interview to validate thoughts, says Gimbel.
Take a look at potential a candidate's profile -- it can give some insight into his or her character. For example, if the person posts inappropriate jokes or photos, it can show poor judgment.
"Look at the depth or lack thereof of someone's posts, what they are tweeting about, and who they are following," says Gimbel. "You'll get a feel for their personality, and it can help you decide if the person is a good fit for your company."
Related: 3 Unique Hiring Techniques to Find the Right Person for the Job
