Episode 94: Don't Do This When Using Social Media To Recruit Cleaning Technicians.

These days at least 80 percent of employers are using LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other online websites to recruit employees. But many are making a big mistake when using social media sites for making hiring decisions. Don't make this same mistake when you recruit cleaning technicians for your cleaning business.

Are you using social media sites or other online sites to recruit new employees?

Episode 94- Video Transcription

These days at least 80 percent of employers are using LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other online websites to recruit employees. And most cleaning company owners are using it to recruit cleaning technicians.

Now it's up to you to decide which of these will work best for your business, so test out your employment ads on different sites to gauge what's the best choice for your business. You'll probably find that LinkedIn is a better recruiting site for professionals like bookkeepers and administrative positions. Other sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Craigslist will probably work better for finding cleaning technicians. As far as Craigslist goes, some people love it, and some people hate it.

The key to using it effectively is to screen all prospects first. Give very specific instructions for how to apply, and see if they follow your instructions to the letter. If they can't follow these simple instructions, remove them as a candidate.

So what is it you SHOULDN'T do when recruiting cleaning technicians on social media? Allow online photos to make your decision for you. Let me explain what I mean by that. Years ago, people used to attach their photo to their resume. That was later discouraged because of the risk of discrimination based on age, race, gender, even weight! But in this new world of social media, everyone posts their photos on their social media pages. So be very careful about how you and others in your company who may be screening candidates for you, use social media for recruiting. You want to make sure they aren't judging prospective employees by looking at their photo, and then ruling them out as a prospect. Here is what you want to look for on social media pages. Check to see whether candidates present themselves professionally, show their personality in a positive way, have good communication skills, are creative, and seem to fit your company's culture.

Another advantage of using social media to recruit employees is that people tend to be truthful on their personal social media pages. Yet many people tend to embellish their resume; so it's a good way to make sure their qualifications match their resume. So if you're using these sites to check out potential employees, be sure to do it responsibly. From a compliance perspective, you need to make sure your company's screening methods do not appear discriminatory.

I'd like to hear from you on this topic. Are you using social media sites or other online sites to recruit new employees? Which sites do you use and how is it working for you? Go ahead and post your comments below the video.