I stumbled upon a controversy in the recruiting world. I’m wondering what you think about it.
- In one corner, you have Peter Weddle who wrote a book about job boards and says that new forms of social media — such as LinkedIn and Twitter — are a scam and won’t help you find a job.
- In the other corner, you have recruiters like MN Headhunter and STLRecruiting who feel that Weddle doesn’t get it. Social media is today’s version of the job board, and furthermore, it’s the networking behind the technology that lands you a job.
What do you think? How do you currently identify talented people? How will you hire candidates in the future? Is the use of social media in recruiting a scam?
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No offense to Peter Weddle but to say that LI and twitter are a scam makes me think he has no credibility in the issue of recruitment. Let me guess, networking doesn’t work either?
I haven’t used the job boards in a couple years to source candidates. Why would I when other tools have been so successful and valuable to me.
Maybe Peter has not figured out how to monetize social media research? He should call me and I can help him out
A scam. Doubt it. More of an evolution of what “old school” recruiters armed with rolodex and phone have done since the 1960’s.
I use both. The company has its own board. Linkedin allows me to vet candidates earlier in the process (Linkedin profiles seem more honest than resumes). I look to Facebook, Digg to delve into personality type and for pertinent info not often listed in a cover letter or resume. And nothing replaces checking references.
I went off on this a couple of weeks ago myself http://bit.ly/14QA26 You can’t ignore the power of networking in landing you a job, even before social media, it was the best way to get your next position. I know that year over year my teams have seen a tremendous drop in source of hire for the job boards and an increasing rise in source of hire from our active efforts on LinkedIn primarily. 4 years ago we got about 5% of our hires from social networking, we are no closer to 65%, with the biggest portion of the remaining 35% coming from referrals.
That being said, we do find a marked difference in the efficacy of the job boards for our hourly positions, they are a stronger number two behind referrals, but I believe it is only a matter of time before they slip there as well.
No contest; social media lends muscle to the process of establishing and cultivating relationships. A job, or career worth having, will NOT be advertised on a general job board or in the newspaper. Networking is the key and social media — along with face-to-face engagement, is its engine.
The fact that 80% of people find their next gig through someone in their network is not new news. You’re best shot at a gig is when you have a lead inside. People are most likely to get hired if they have a good network. You can network on a Social Network not on a job board.
Now as a Recruiter if you use Social Networks (like linkedin and twitter) like you would a job board and only broadcast your companies opening or as a Career seeker only broadcasting the fact that you are looking for job then no, duh it won’t work. If you use Social Networks to “Network” then they kick ass and are the best thing that could happen to recruiting or your job search. Most people including recruiters don’t get this. And it takes time most people don’t like that.
If I were running a company and needed a HR pro I go to you (even though I know you don’t do recruiting) and I’d offer you a big fat check to hook me up w/ one of your friends. You wouldn’t go post an ad on a job board when your connected to a boatload of HR peep on and offline.
I run a recruiting and consulting company and besides a few $25 ads on craigslist we haven’t paid to post on a job board yet. We get free postings to our interactive career site (stand out jobs) that are picked up by all the job aggregetors and we network at live events and in the social media space and we work the phones. That’s all we need.
wow, that’s the longest response I’ve ever wrote here..
So, what Peter Weddle is saying that if you’re attending the Social Recruiting Summit and watching it online, we are part of a Ponzi scheme?
Seriously, it’s all about integration. A job board is still meaningful because job seekers want to know about the position and it’s out there. However, I do think we’re in transition that we’re into a people search and not a job search and that’s where social media has made a big difference.
I think job boards are still important because of the information given, but I think it’s important to have the contact info of the recruiter/hiring manager on the job posting for people to get a head start on studying who they might be working (and please, no stalking).
The first question we ask ourselves when recruiting is, “who do we know?”. Social networking sites are great for staying in contact with good people, but its not significantly different to a roladex….its just electronic…..its not new.
In terms of job boards, I laid out my thoughts on those on the post Puf refers to above.
I’ve just written chez moi about how much I hate recruitment today so maybe I have the blues, but I just don’t think any of the solutions are particularly good in isolation….and only marginally better in combination.
Like investing, when recruiting you should Diversify your sources! Job boards are not obsolete nor are they becoming archaic just because there is something new out there.
LinkedIn has been very useful to me in recruiting, but I don’t get how twitter can be a substantial recruiting source.
I think it’s rather naïve to make such assumptions about the state of social recruiting. Given that Jobvite’s recent survey indicates more companies will invest time, energy and money into social recruiting strategies suggests it’s not just a temporary trend.
The ways we use the internet to communicate have evolved, and it’s important to recognize and learn how to leverage these new tools to your advantage. Job boards won’t go away, but neither will social recruiting tactics – especially as niche social communities grow and people’s interaction heightens.
We use social networks like LinkedIn and Jigsaw to add a level of communication in our recruiting CRM, and it only makes sense to evolve with these new technologies. Not against…
Weddle is outdated and off his rocker. Social media is powerful and people like Weddle will soon become extinct if they don’t get on board.
I see I am in the minority because I am still a big user of job boards. I would have to say a big factor as to the success of job boards v. social networking has some correlation to the position you are looking to fill. The lower the level the more helpful job boards are going to be and the higher the level the more helpful social networking will be.
As it we mentioned above just because there is something new doesn’t me job boards should become obsolete, they should just be another tool to use. As in most professions the more tools you have to do the job the better and more efficient you are able to do it.
But hey maybe I am already falling behind on technology as a 28 year old, I was a late adapter to facebook and I still don’t Twitter.
I think saying it was a SCAM (social capabilities ahead of the market) was just being provocative to get reader, but it did resonate with my experience in this job, at least. Right now I work with all Chemical Engineers with between zero and 30 years experience. We recruit most of them as fresh outs and work our relationships with particular professors to find out who might be a fit for our company. The more experienced engineers are almost 100% referrals. We have never once hired someone we met on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or other social networking site. I doubt we ever will. That said, we’re not hiring off of Monster or Careerbuilder either, though we have small accounts with both.
social media = connecting with people (if used correctly)
job board = place to send your resume
networking = better job prospects
connecting with people = networking
I’ll take social media over a job board to find a job.
This is a question that will never have “an answer”. Having worked with countless companies small and large, each company has its own culture, its unique needs, and certainly different levels of recruiters. With the economy the way it is today, it is a time of exploration, education AND movement; however movement for the sake of using the next best tool can be a really bad idea. For example, having a Facebook page with no one maintaining it can do awful things for your companies’ reputation. I see a triangle: post and pray/sourcing/media….social networking….and a companies own career site….
There is no magic pill.
It’s not about job boards, it’s about community and interaction. Job boards need to be more than pure job listings and resume databases…but I think most of them already get that. They have no choice but to get that…if they don’t they will no longer be viable as recruiters have understood the importance of community and interaction for years now.
Linked In can thank recruiters for much of its early success and Twitter is the new Linked In for forward-thinking recruiters.
Agree with Dina and others: it’s not “either/or” but rather “both.” There are uses for job boards and situations that call for social media. Knowing when and where to use what is the secret. Given the low cost of entry into social media, it is a great medium for experimentation and trying different combinations of tactics. Keep iterating until you find a scenario that works, then build upon that knowledge.
I stand by our current model of being a job board and a social network combined. We list the job openings for employers, we have a resume database that targets emails to interested job seekers, BUT we also stay connected with our job seekers through our own branded social network. Our world is the summer job / seasonal job niche and I think we’re doing our best to utilize many of the social media tools out there, because that’s what they are. Job boards are tools too and I don’t think as an industry we’re obsolete yet.
My experience with Cool Works is that we open our job seekers eyes and minds to opportunities that they may not have heard about from their friends. I love, love, love hearing stories from our job seekers about getting out of the office and into the park and how it transformed their lives. For me, even playing a small role in someone finding their true calling is really rewarding.
Newspapers said that Monster was insignificant back in 1999 until that SUPERBOWL commercial changed everything…that was a little over 10 yrs ago. Look at your classified section on a Sunday, other then a few retail, restaurant and service jobs (mostly $15 an hour and less)…no one uses newspapers anymore.
So now Monster and Carreerbuilder are saying the same about social media sites (although they are secretly trying to emulate or buy these sights)…I bet in 5 years we will be having the same conversation about e-recruiting sites…As Ferris Bueller once said: “Life moves pretty fast around here, if you don’t pay attention you might miss it.”
My money is on new media…but not for another 18months until the ripple effect of usage and the economy rebounding, kicks in…
M
I never respond to blog posts, but I will here, and this will probably be the only time.
LinkedIn is an irreplaceable recruiting resource for their strategic customers — i.e. they #1 or #2 in importance when those companies budget for recruitment media. (some may disagree). They are more strategic to these accounts than Monster, Careerbuilder, and Hotjobs. (This is not every F1000 company in the world FYI, but quite a few). It takes time, proven results and ROI to get to this level.
LinkedIn is the ONLY social media company that is commanding major investment from F500 organizations around talent acquisition and recruiting technology — or around any corporate software/solutions (Twitter and Facebook are not in this game for real and probably never will be — Facebook only wants ad revs, and Twitter has no revs). Yes, LinkedIn is a real business that is more diversified than just ad revenue.
Regarding the job boards, well, what is to regard? They exist, therefore they are. There will be massive consolidation (there should have been already) and there will be room for a few. Those left (probably Monster and Careerbuilder) will still command real dollars because engaging active job seekers will always have some level of importance to staffing orgs. The best recruiting organizations (and I am referring to corporate staffing/talent acquisition) are behaving more like sales organizations and less like HR (actively pursuing the best candidates instead of sifting through board resumes).
This trend will continue. You can’t turn back the tide on this front, and the Boards know it.
Just my two cents.
I’ve heard more and more companies refer to a job board strategy as “transactional recruiting” and a social media strategy as “relationship recruiting”. Over time, if a company builds out and maintains their own talent community and leverages the social networks of their employee base, their cost per hire will be far less than just the paying the job boards every time they have an opening.
I personally don’t know anyone who has gotten a job through the job boards but I know many people who have gotten jobs through people they know including me.
Sorry Peter, I think your job board stock is going to continue to tank!
@David Thank you. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
@Rob I love how you’re available and willing to help Peter out. If he’s sharp, he’ll take you up on the offer.
@Mike I wouldn’t use social media to check a personality. I’m not sure it’s legally compliant with federal discrimination laws.
@HRPuf I’m just going to direct people over to your blog. That’s how it should work from now on because you’re on this shiz before everyone else!
@Ken I hope to find my next job in the Pennysaver — and dammit if the pennysaver isn’t online with a media strategy. Shoot! http://www.pennysaverusa.com/
@Amanda I used to recruit — that’s how I got into HR — and you’re right: this blog, my linkedin connections, my facbeook list, and my twitter followers are all candidate and I’ve created my own database. I’m forming my own recruiting company over here and there’s a deep well of talent. There are people I know who are ready for the next, awesome opportunity in their careers. If I ever go back into recruiting, I know where I’ll find my candidates. Right here. People I know.
@Tracy It’s totally about integration and you get it. That’s why you’re awesome.
@TheHRD You know, I also hate recruiting. I used to love it. The excitement of making an offer? Someone’s first day? It’s awesome. Now I’m old and it just seems like such a freakin hassle. This is why I write.
@KFP Well you can use tweetdeck to search for key terms and source from Twitter like a database. You can also see who is following you, who is following someone else, etc. So it’s yet another tool in your toolkit.
@HR Chick Weddle is waddling on this one, isn’t he?
@Mike Thanks for chiming in! I agree.
@Nick I think it’s all about using what works for you. If you can find talented people using job boards, and you can afford it, go for it.
@Franny I’m with you about being ‘provocative’ and that’s probably why it stuck in my craw. Be provocative — but be right. ps — I haven’t paid a recruiting fee since 2001 because 9/11 wiped out my hiring budget. I’ve been crawling networks like a spider since the inception of my recruiting career.
@Nelking Me, too.
@Dina Yes. What you’re talking about is strategy. It’s so foreign to some recruiting & HR departments.
@Leanne Great point and, really, isn’t it all about sourcing? You source from the best candidate pool.
@Mark I love the both approach, too.
@Kari I actually think your model is a new model: the niche network that offers a community and has a broader goal than just listing a bunch of jobs. I love, love, love the Coolworks model.
@Mark Your money is on new media? You work in HR. You don’t have any money.
@Brendan Wow, I’m glad this subject pulled you out of your lurker-status and into the limelight. This comment really speaks to a couple of things: the potential of social recruiting and the positivity associated with LinkedIn. I’m glad you chimed in with your two cents. Thanks.
@thejobsguy That’s exactly it, right? He’s propping up his stock in the job boards. Or am I too cynical to suggest that?
Great subject! I really like what Peter Weddles said about social media and really any new buzz….just cuz it’s the latest greatest, doesn’t mean it really is UNTIL the BEST talent is using it….well, look at us! We’re the best talent….using it…..so- my guess is Weddles will figure out how to incorporate that into his toolbox as well.
It is definitely all about a diversified strategy, understanding your target audience and understanding who you are as an organization. There is no silver bullet but a well thought out plan with a dose of reality around who you are and who you are recruiting is what constitutes successful sourcing, not a big package on a job board or just building a Facebook page to look cool doing it. Amazes me how often an organization doesn’t really understand their target audience or is in denial about what potential job seekers really think of them. Either they are so focused on the hard skills they forget their candidate is a person and a consumer too – or they havedecision makers who mistakenly think they represent the target audience.
There have been so many changes to recruiting since I started a dozen years ago. (I work in a smaller market) We went to the paper, then the job boards and are now thinking about LinkedIn? The reason we haven’t jumped on board is the economy and lack of positions to fill as of now.
Any good recruiter will have more than one source and yes he or she will have the data base full of good contacts and potential candidates. Social media is just another tool to find someone or better yet to be found.
And don’t forget reference checking, nothing will ever replace the former supervisors/managers A+ recommendation and hearing it is better than all the paper atta boys/girls a candidate can produce
The bottom line is you have to be resourceful and use every available means possible to find the right candidate. Social media is relevant it just cannot be your sole source.
When using social media for any reason be sure it’s advancing your purpose and not stuck in mouth. Otherwise a ‘pedicure for social media footprints’ might be in order, http://bit.ly/vjqEv
There is no Silver Bullet to this recruiting thing and while there is lots of talk about it, I have yet seen anyone say “this is the only thing to use.”
One needs a balanced diet. A construction worker needs many tools.
Recruiters will use different things depending on who they recruit, where and in what industry.
If I can go on one more rant (Laurie I will send rent money for this space)…
LinkedIn IS NOT a social networking site. It is a professional networking site. LinkedIn has different “rules” and expectations than Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Recruiters and job seekers are getting themselves in trouble when they treat the sites the same way.
Laurie, tell Scrubby I said “Happy Birthday”
later…
I agree with MN Headhunter – there is a large difference between LinkedIn (professional) vs. Twitter/FaceBook/MySpace (social). And while I don’t at all think Twitter, FaceBook, or MySpace are job board “scams” – I just find them ineffective when it comes to finding a job. I’ve known numerous people to reach out to their social networks after they were laid off, but I don’t know one that has landed a job because of it. Not suggesting it doesn’t happen or that it’s impossible… I just don’t know of any.
Personally, I’m not a big fan of the idea of recruiting via social networks. (I wrote a blog entry about it last year that I linked to my “name” for this comment.) In my mind, social networks make it too easy for discrimination lawsuits to be slapped against the company. I’m of a mixed race, so I’m really sensitive to discrimination. I completely understand that companies can and do use information about candidates that he or she willingly posts online. However, the flip side to that is companies can find out illegal information about a person prior to an interview that would normally be illegal to ask in an interview, i.e., religious views, marital status, pregnancy, etc., and then ultimately use that info as part of the basis for the hiring decision.
Recently, a bank in Texas “nixed” the use of social media in it’s recruiting process. I have to say that I agree. You can read the article here: http://snipurl.com/jen6z
I don’t want people to think I’m against social networks because I’m not. I love Twitter and FaceBook! They have been a great way for me to keep in touch virtually with my family, former classmates, and friends. And I have learned an ton from my HR twitter buds!
I’m just concerned about keeping the playing field equal for everyone and adhering to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That’s why I am not so sure about their uses in corporate recruiting processes.
HRBabe/Christina M.
The fact that I got a nw job via linkedin and my netwok would sem to prove that these sits are not a scam. The simple fact is that a good corporate recruiter or staffing consultant will use a mixture of sources to get candidates.
Wwe live in a digital age, pople are using these sites so why not tap into them. I would suggest tht not to do so is very short sighted.
Anil.
And the battle continues…
I have placed individuals using both methods. From a third-party recruiting perspective, job boards fill a great space for what I would consider to be staffing. When it comes to recruiting… I would side more with social media/networking/etc. (whatever the new add-on to social is this week). I might get some push back on putting those two functions in different categories… but, I really believe that they should be.
My favorite way to recruit is to ask “Who is the best person you know in (fill in the blank)?” That leads to one name, which leads to two, which leads to a network… and, hopefully, the best for what you are recruiting. Takes time… but, it works!
Finally, for those who insist that the best are sitting out on job boards… you’re right. For those who insist that they are not… you’re right. Just give each other a hug and become friends again. If you are finding what you are after using your current methods, stick with it. However, don’t be afraid to expand your selection of tools just in case your talent well runs dry.
Good debate. I’m sure it will continue
Looking forward,
Michael
@Leesa I suspect that Weddle will embrace it when he can monetize it.
@Karin Amazes me how often an organization doesn’t really understand their target audience or is in denial about what potential job seekers really think of them. That’s a really keen observation.
@ACT You’re right. It’s relevant and it should be part of your diversified approach.
@Doug Thanks!
@MN I’m glad you’re ranting because that’s what this space is all about. You’re right — there is no silver bullet. Labeling social media a ’scam’ is just cheesy, IMHO.
@HRBabe Hey thanks for the comment. I read about the Texas approach and I’m not sure I agree with that process. I don’t care how you find someone. Once you find them, though, you should follow legally approved ways of measuring knowledge, skills, and abilities.
@Anil We’re all just glad you found a job. That’s an awesome accomplishment in this economy. Hooray & hooray for LinkedIn!
@Michael At some point, the recruiting process will evolve and make a leap. Maybe those job boards will be smart enough to evolve, too.
Holy crap. Lots of steam around this one. My scrolling finger is sore. I only hope there’s this much conversation at the socialrecruiting event. My thought is this, there’s no argument really because its a cross paradigm problem. Icky, abstract word, paradigm. But a paradigm is a nothing more than a world view or map. So arguing over which paradigm (job boards vs. social networks) is better is like arguing over whether a bus route map is better than a topographical map. They are looking at the same landscape, “which is better” depends on your mode of transportation, and your destination. Same is true here.
So, know your landscape, know your mode of transport, and pick the right map. Nuff said.
PS – Looking forward to meeting you at the event.
Interesting perspectives from all… What it seems like most people do not utilize the tools provided by a monster or careerbuilder provide these days. As someone wrote life moves fast and if not paying attention then you will miss it. Well, sourcing a resume database accounts for less then 5% of the boards candidates and just posting jobs you cant control who applies. But there is a large amount of information and data that they can provide for targeting. Did you know that over half of the people that visit Careerbuilder do not apply to jobs! They review the content and then do other things ie. go to company website, Facebook to explore the company and so forth. The Monsters and Careerbuilders of the world have been basing their bsiness model on user generated content since the beginning and that is the basis for social media or Web 2.0. Learning how to tap in to this and the amount of data and targeting ability is of a huge value. If you understand the numbers of US people in the workforce estimated around 130million and the traffic of the top 3 job boards being around 45million per month. Everyone wants to go to where the people are at well, that is a large number that are engaged to change careers. I have seen many companies decrease their cost per hire and quality by targeting the 97% of people that dont apply to a single job posting. Example: there are over 1000 sales jobs posted daily in chicago on one of the boards. My post gets an average of 40 applications. I had them break down my job with simular jobs with same skill requirements and the number of total applications. The outcome was that I only got 2% of the candidates. We then put targeted media in place to hit the people that have this skill. Since only the people that met my requirments get my message. The next month i recieved 65 applicants. That is a 30% increase in the right candidates then it was a task to just see who was a better fit.
We need to all get better and understanding the tools that work today and how to just use them better. I will spend my effort that is easy to understand and proven.
Later!
Finding a job today is all about networking — whether it is face-to-face or through social networking. If I were looking for a job I wouldn’t rule out any form of reaching potential employers and in today’s world, social networking is one of the best ways to accomplish that.
Although we are undoubtedly in a recruitment transition, it is inaccurate and overly presumptuous to assume that job boards are, or will become, redundant. Job boards are still the first point of contact for a large majority of Job Seekers and to be absent from this sphere would undoubtedly diminish many employers chances of finding relevant and quality candidates.
From my experience in the recruitment industry, one of the main problems employers have with Job Boards, is that they are inundated with applications from irrelevant candidates who multi-post CVs. However, this is often the result of overly broad recruitment campaigns on behalf of the Employer, rather then lack of network functionality on job boards.
Recruitment Consultants for Employment Office- an Australian recruitment solutions company- are quick to point out the advantages of targeted advertising. Instead of posting your advertisement on all-industry job boards, try sector specific websites. For example, niche online job board http://www.bluecollar.com.au is increasingly becoming the job board of choice for both Australian Job Seekers and Employers, because it not only offers a platform for visitors to browse related opportunities with multiple companies, but also tends to attract candidates who are experienced and interested in the Blue Collar sector.
Today there are multiple ways to recruit- embrace social networking tools, but don’t limit your opportunity to network friendly, Gen-Y users.