Using LinkedIn for Recruitment: 5 Tips for Beginners

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LinkedIn has been a key tool in the recruiter’s toolbox for many years now. But more and more, employers are wising up to the benefits themselves. Using LinkedIn for recruitment is no longer reserved for the experts or Boolean Geeks. Here are just a few simple ways that regular ol’ employers can start sourcing great candidates through LinkedIn.

On the most basic level, you can use the Advanced Search function to type in a variety of key words, locations and job titles and bring up a shortlist of potential candidates. These candidates can then be contacted directly, using LinkedIn’s Introduction requests and InMail. If you have a LinkedIn Business account (starting at $24 per month), you can easily search more detailed criteria (see image below).

 

2. Scan 2nd degree connections.

One way to save time and effort is to contact those in your network and ask them which of their contacts would be best qualified for the position. Then you simply contact the ones they recommend. That way you are only dealing with pre-qualified candidates.

 

3. Share status updates.

This is the easiest one! To be aware of new people entering the job market, ask those in your network to let you know if someone starts asking around to see what’s available. That way you’ll get in first if you have an opening for them. Even better, it’s easy for your contacts to then share the status update with their network.

4. Join LinkedIn Groups.

Join LinkedIn groups in relevant industries and get involved in their discussions. This will provide you with access to a large number of qualified candidates.

 

5. Learn more about potential candidates.

The way a potential candidate uses LinkedIn can give you insights into their suitability (and interest) in your role. The quality of their contacts, their ability to network, their level of involvement and interaction with others can all be useful indicators of personality and  ability. The level of detail and effort they’ve put into developing a complete profile, can also indicate their openness to considering new positions.

The people you’ll find on LinkedIn are generally what are known as ‘actively passive job seekers’. They are not actively seeking another job, but have made themselves available in case that dream job should come their way.
For this reason, while LinkedIn may lead to lots of suitable candidates, you could still have a bit of work ahead of you in convincing them that your’s is the job they’ve been waiting for.

What other simple ways are you using LinkedIn for recruitment?