Social recruiting works as a handy talent database to find candidates that are skilled, experienced, and culturally fit. Additionally, it is time-saving and can boost your recruiting efforts considerably. However, getting yourself familiar with the legalities surrounding social media recruiting will make the entire process seamless.
So, before you get started, understand the legal guidelines of social recruiting in the digital space.
Researching candidate details online, legally
Using social media for hiring offers many advantages. One of them is easy to access candidate profiles online. You can review a candidate’s social media posts and accounts to get a better picture of themselves. Conducting a social media check can be of assistance in the candidate selection process. However, you need to be careful while doing so.
In legal terms, when you review a candidate’s profile online, it is considered that you are aware of their “protected characteristics”. These characteristics include a candidate’s view on gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation, which most often cannot be judged in person. In such cases, you should do the following. Limit your interview questions to the job requirements. You should avoid bias towards the candidate’s opinions on any of these matters.
To avoid social media hiring discrimination, wait to review the candidates’ social media profiles until you meet them in person.
Referring to candidates’ social media info, rightfully
Employers using social media for hiring need to display rational decision-making skills. This is because social media platforms offer vast candidate data, which most often leads to hiring biases. So, how do you use the candidate data in hand in your recruiting process? The trick is to use it as a conversation starter or as a medium to get a deeper understanding of the candidates’ opinions.
Most job roles require candidates to have strong social skills. You can use the candidates’ social media profiles to ascertain this job requirement. A candidate that displays excellent social skills is sure to stand out amongst the others.
Providing notice to candidates, formerly
Although it is not mandatory to let the candidate know of your social media screening procedures, you should do so. Giving prior notice to candidates about you reviewing their social media profiles helps them put their best foot forward. Moreover, it can be of assistance to candidates in setting up a professionally appealing profile.
Assessing your own social media profiles, diligently
Just as how employers use social media data for recruiting, candidates utilize the same to get a glimpse of the company they are applying to. Keeping this in mind, ensure your online company profiles or websites display accurate information.
Have a strong social media presence that reflects on your company culture and employer branding. Be sure to avoid statements that can be easily misunderstood. Have an online content strategy in place that puts you in good light as a potential employer.
Learning the legalities surrounding social recruiting can get you in touch with great hires. However, with vast candidate information at your disposal, picking the right candidate can be tricky. To help meet your hiring needs and to further simplify the hiring process, avail the services of recruitment software.
With the latest hiring features to choose from, a recruitment software like Jobsoid can be a great addition. With Jobsoid, you can recruit candidates from various social media platforms and filter them to match the skill set you are looking for. Besides, it also lets you save passive candidate profiles for future job openings.
Make note of the legal guidelines of social recruiting to hire top candidates without involving legal trouble. Further, boost your efforts and simplify your recruiting process by registering for a free account with Jobsoid today!
