In following up with a recent article and some emails received (seriously guys, you can hit the comment boxes - I'm not the only opinion on this blog - don't be shy) I think it's time I expanded a bit on The Evolution of Recruiting.  The article was published here on RecruiterGuy.net as well as found as a spotlight article during the recent CruiterTalk carnival.

The reminder that this follow up was due occurred yesterday when I sat on a demo for a new social driven recruiting product where the statement was made (and I'm paraphrasing here) that most Recruiters won't recruit on social networks because they're scared.  While the commenter insinuated it was a fear that was litigious in nature, I had a nagging in my soul that disagreed.  After all... he did say "most Recruiters" right?  So of course I sent out a quick question on Twitter and an update on Facebook to ask anyone that was listening.

What I got back was a few responses and a phone call (I know, right??) that validated 98% of every Social Recruiting conversation I've had with anyone actually practicing or considering getting engaged.  There's fear out there alright - but it's not where you'd necessarily think.  Well, it's not where Mr. Demo eluded that it was.

The fear of most Recruiters (Disclaimer: that I've spoken with) in relation to Social Recruiting isn't so much about candidate selection or their Legal/HR Police reacting to this new and swelling source of candidates...  It's rather more about their figuring out how to start - and manage their time.  The four points I laid out in The Evolution of Recruiting were as follows:

1. Where to start (what network?!)
2. How to prevent a Time Suck (recruiters "wasting" time!)
3. Measuring the Return (hires or applications?)
4. Maintenance (okay, what now?)

Where to start can be a daunting decision to many.  Should they spend a significant amount of time in LinkedIn?  Should they pony up some calendar spend on Facebook or in MySpace or even some local niche network they've found?  Should they allocate an hour a day to several different networks?  How does a Recruiter decide where to build their profile and invest some time?  (Whew! Lots of questions but how about some answers?!)

My advice is to look at your options with the end in mind and never forget that no matter the tool you select, it remains just that: a single tool in that great big recruiting toolbox.
Do some homework on social networks that you're considering and stick a stake in the ground and just go.  You can literally spend weeks, if not more, trying to decide what social network is right for you or your job seekers if you let yourself waffle back and forth and are afraid to simply make a decision.  There's basic demographic information available on many of the popular networks today like LinkedIn or Facebook - and even simple tools available like Compete (for traffic/trends) and resources like ComScore for more of a deep dive on statistics if you're interested.

Taking a quick inventory of the features available within a network that would appeal to your target audience is also a key step in selecting your platform.  This is one reason why Facebook and LinkedIn still lead the pack for social sourcing and recruiting, in my opinion.  With the number of groups and fan pages available, it's easy to quickly find where potential job seekers are networking together or just hanging out.

Looking for Engineers? Knock yourself out on LinkedIn, where you're able to filter Engineer groups by Alumni, Corporate, Non-Profit, Networking, and more.  Of course Facebook offers similar filters for groups - but you'll need to gauge your audience and just how active or passive a candidate you're looking for.

One of the advantages to picking a starting point within the social stratosphere is that if you're "searching" and truly networking then you've the flexibility to change networks should you decide that your first choice wasn't your best option.  There are even a myriad of both original and regurgitated "How to Source on LinkedIn/Facebook" webinars that you can pay for if you've the cash and are looking for a jump start.  (nope, I'll neither recommend nor discourage your attendance at any in particular - but seriously... Google/Bing for info before paying for it.)

The bottom line is that you'll need to stick a stake in the ground and go forward.  Recruiters won't be committed to living on that network until they start to really establish a brand for their employer or company - most commonly in the form of a "Page" or "Group" - so until then we can think of your first few months as trying out the place before you really invest in a level of ownership.

Of course once you find a talent pool that speaks to your needs you'll want to ensure that you engage them appropriately.  How you engage them without intruding on their "social experience" is a different post all together.

Originally posted on RecruiterGuy.net