Social Recruiting vs Traditional Recruiting: Which One Works Best?

As HR managers, we are always on the lookout for top talent. Every organization needs skilled and motivated individuals to thrive in today's competitive business environment. But the question is, which recruiting method is the best? Social media has dramatically transformed the way we live, work, and recruit. Social recruiting is the practice of using social media channels and other online platforms to attract, engage, and hire candidates. At the same time, traditional recruiting refers to the use of conventional recruitment channels like print ads, job fairs, and recruiting agencies. In this blog post, we'll take a look at the pros and cons of social recruiting and traditional recruiting to help you make an informed decision for your organization.

Traditional Recruiting

Traditional recruitment has been around for decades, and it is still widely used by HR managers worldwide. Some of the conventional recruitment channels include job postings on online job boards such as Monster, Glassdoor, and Indeed. These channels require candidates to upload their resume and cover letter, which are then reviewed by the HR team. Other traditional recruitment methods include print ads, career fairs, and referrals.

Pros of Traditional Recruitment

• Wider Reach: Traditional recruitment channels like job boards and print ads have a broader audience and can attract candidates from various backgrounds and experiences.
• Trustworthy Platform: For many people, traditional recruitment channels such as career fairs or referrals are more reliable and offer more security than social media or other online platforms
• Better Relationship: Recruiters can build long-term relationships with recruiting agencies, which can help organizations access high-performing, quality candidates in the future.

Cons of Traditional Recruitment

• High Cost: Traditional recruiting channels such as recruiting agencies can be costly and may not be feasible for smaller organizations with a tight budget
• Time-Consuming: Traditional recruitment methods involve manual and time-consuming processes, such as manually reviewing resumes and cover letters, which can slow down the recruitment process.
• Limited Pool of Candidates: Traditional recruitment methods tend to attract a specific category of candidates, which means organizations may miss out on candidates with different backgrounds and experiences

Social Recruiting

Social recruiting is a relatively new yet increasingly popular recruitment technique that relies on social media channels like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Unlike traditional recruitment, social recruiting focuses on building relationships with candidates and engaging with them proactively.

Pros of Social Recruiting

• Cost-Effective: Social recruiting requires minimal financial investment, and you can reach a large number of candidates quickly and efficiently.
• Targeted Reach: Social recruiting provides access to a broad pool of candidates with varying backgrounds and expertise.
• Streamlined Recruitment: Social recruiting tools like social media screening and applicant tracking systems help recruiters automate and simplify the recruitment process, making it more efficient.

Cons of Social Recruiting

• Limited Trust Factor: Social recruiting channels are relatively new, and many people may not trust them as much as traditional recruitment methods like career fairs or referrals.
• Lack of Control: Social recruiting channels are often out of an organization's control, which can lead to negative PR issues if something goes wrong.
• Time-Consuming: Social recruiting involves building relationships with candidates on a one-on-one basis, which can be time-consuming and may not be scalable for larger organizations.

Conclusion

Social recruiting and traditional recruitment both have advantages and disadvantages. If your organization is looking to access a broad pool of candidates quickly and cost-effectively, social recruiting may be the way to go. However, if you are looking for quality over quantity and have a higher budget, traditional recruitment channels may work best.

References:

1. Harvard Business Review. (2013). Social media vs. HR: Friends, foes, or frenemies? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2013/05/social-media-vs-hr-friends-foe
2. Society for Human Resource Management. (2019). Social Media Recruitment Strategies. SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/social-media-recruiting-strategies.aspx