Recruitment 2.0/ HR 2.0

Online recruiting is no longer limited to traditional job sites such as Jobster or Monster. Companies and recruiting firms are now using the interactivity of Web 2.0 to foster relationships, extend their reach, increase visibility and more thoroughly research candidates.

Recruiting has become quicker, more efficient and more targeted. The use of RSS provides easy distribution of job ads. Companies post job requirements to their blog, and ask other, related blogs, to post on their site as well, allowing for a wider scope.

Some social networks such as Linkedin, Xing and Viadeo focus uniquely on professional interaction, but other sites can have just as great an impact on recruitment. Ernst and Young Careers has a Facebook group which allows the company to dialogue with people they may eventually hire. Such conversation is critical in the Web 2.0 world and employers can actively participate by answering queries posted on social networks. For employers, having access to these networks also enables them to acquire feedback about the candidates work habits and character (often from someone the recruiter knows).
Additionally many companies make use of their website to streamline their recruiting process by requiring applicants to input specific information and answer key questions. Some ask for portfolio samples or a video response to be uploaded, in addition to the standard resume and cover letter.

Researching a candidate using Google, Facebook or Linkedin is a pivotal opportunity for businesses to gain additional information about a potential hire. Beyond learning more about a candidate’s career background, their habits and behavior outside of work are also readily available. Although the possibility of rash judgment does exist, there is a benefit to the candidate in that a more thorough picture can be created, one that goes beyond the confines of the resume or interview process.

Companies should keep in mind that there is now, more than ever, a balance of power with e-recruiting. Businesses can learn more about candidates and attract ideal employees, but employees have the same ability to research businesses and find their perfect workplace. With that in mind, company culture has become an immense selling point for prospective hires. The use of a company’s own videos and pictures can entice candidates by giving them a glimpse of the inner workings and presenting the human side of the company.

Natalie Michael, Partner of the Karmichael Group, an executive search and recruitment strategy firm, states that now “there is even greater pressure on organizations to focus on employee engagement and retention, and having a culture that is a unique differentiator. If competitors are “sharing employee lists” by having employees visible on Linkedin, for instance, “they need to strengthen their people practices so this is not a competitive threat. They can do this by having a unique value proposition, focusing on meeting individual’s needs and having a culture that can not easily be replicated by the competition.”

Although to some extent “social media’s impact on corporate cultures is only in its infancy,” notes Jon Husband, a recognized expert on social media and the emerging digital workplace and Founder & Principal of the Wirearchy Group “the major impact will be the creation of looser, more open cultures wherein information flows and talent come together to create responsiveness to customers, more innovation and faster development cycles. These effects will foster cultures that open up to let creative and talented people use their skills and knowledge, which in turn become more attractive to the kinds of talent that companies want and need.”

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