Taking Twitter Back to the Basics
As HR professionals are inundated with Twitter buzz and take the plunge to use it as a recruiting tool, it's imperative that certain business fundamentals remain an element of the social media strategy to see a return on investment.
1382%: The growth rate of Twitter users from January to February 2009.
3 million: The average number of tweets per day.
With mind-blowing statistics like these, two things become very apparent: 1)Regardless of your industry or role, you have invariably at least heard of Twitter.
Whether or not you've taken the plunge and created a business account depends on a number of factors.
But the fact that a Google search of Twitter produces 779,000,000 results means Twitter is everywhere these days, everyone's talking about it- it is unavoidable.
2)With a phenomenon so powerful and overwhelming, it's difficult not to get entirely caught up and lost in this Twitter craze.
Hearing about it incessantly has led many companies to jump on the bandwagon without devising a social media strategy or truly understanding the benefits and pitfalls of Twitter.
With no clear business objectives, it's easy to end up running around like a Twitter-bird with its head cut off.
HR professionals, such as recruiters and hiring managers, are one subset of corporate America that recognizes the value of leveraging Twitter to meet business goals.
But how can you dive into this Twitter trend without losing your way? To figure out the answer, first let's take a few steps back.
Ironically enough, a comparable situation was occurring within the human capital management (HCM) industry about a decade ago.
HR technology vendors were a dime a dozen, popping up all over the place, overcrowding the industry and confusing consumers.
Everyone was overwhelmed with the myriad options and all the buzz the industry was receiving.
Vendors and consumers alike lost their way, unable to navigate through the hype.
At that point in time, smart companies adopted its back to the basics philosophy.
Before I lose you, dear reader, just stick with me a second- I swear this applies to your Twitter habits.
Good business practices are good business practices, period.
They're applicable across a variety of disciplines, vehicles and industries.
The back to the basics mentality has been a driving factor of organizations' success over the past 10 years.
It served them well and especially helped navigate through an otherwise confusing period of industry upheaval.
Keeping in mind and applying a few of those same fundamentals that worked so well for smart organizations to your company Twitter account will help you stay the course.
A million and one articles about Twitter come out a day; don't get caught up in having the coolest bells and whistles, but rather have strength in the fundamentals.
Which are...
? 1)Flexibility: As an HR pro using Twitter, you're trying to fill open positions, but that certainly doesn't mean the only thing you can tweet about are job openings.
Be flexible! While remaining entirely within the lines of your role as a recruiter, there are so many different ways to leverage Twitter for HR- don't be afraid to use them.
Just because you're using Twitter as a vehicle to source candidates doesn't mean you can't kill two birds with one stone.
A leading recruiter for APCO Worldwide who really gets how to use Twitter for HR, recently wrote a blog post titled "15 Things Recruiters Can Tweet About...
" In addition to the obvious tweets looking for talented candidates, she points out you can also post photos from corporate events, tweet about upcoming recruiting engagements, or even about how far along you are in the process of filling an important position or a high profile new hire.
Mixing it up with flexibility in your Tweet strategy will not only make you a more interesting person to follow, but it'll also earn you a reputation of being a valuable resource.
2)Speed & reliability.
As a recruiter or HR professional, you are the gatekeeper to your company and a candidate's first impression of the organization.
Do you want to give off the attitude that you don't respond in a timely manner to candidate's concerns, questions or feedback? These candidates may become customers at some point down the line.
More importantly, the power of social media enables them to influence your future customers, as well as how your company's brand is perceived.
One experienced HR professional, recently said, "it's crucial for organizations to treat every candidate just like you would treat a customer or prospect.
" Without delving into the damage that can be done by ignoring candidate tweets, being unreliable, or responding at an unacceptably slow pace, just think of everything you have to gain from being fast and reliable in your twitter habits.
Not only will it give your candidates the impression that your company is dependable and considerate, but don't forget Twitter is public-domain.
Your competitors undoubtedly have a saved search on you, and your reaction time is being dually noted- so put your best face forward.
3)It is all about the customer experience.
Again, using the mentality that every candidate should be treated as you'd treat a customer, now is your chance to show them everything you've got.
Use your Twitter account to showcase your company's brand and amazing culture.
Right from the get-go, make it overwhelmingly apparently that this is a company they would love to work for.
Share links to press your company or employees receive, share press releases to keep candidates abreast of new developments.
Tweet about employee programs, a funny interview you just had, career advice so they can have a leg up when it comes time for their interview.
Feel free to go (slightly) off the beaten path and talk about the company picnic or how your corporate basketball team got killed in last night's game.
You can also use your Twitter account to address any questions or concerns they might have.
Are they having a problem with the application process? Are they looking for more resources about your company? The beauty of Twitter is that it's not a monologue, but rather a 2-way conversation.
Engage with candidates, interact and you'll find that their customer- er, candidate, experience will be unparalleled.
And that is the kind of thing that will do wonders for not only your HR department, but your company as a whole.
So, take it from us.
In the midst of all this craziness revolving around Twitter, you have to keep your head on straight to maximize your return on investment into social media.
To truly drive business outcomes and impact the bottom-line, bring it back to the basics- your candidates, customers and corporate brand will thank you for it.
1382%: The growth rate of Twitter users from January to February 2009.
3 million: The average number of tweets per day.
With mind-blowing statistics like these, two things become very apparent: 1)Regardless of your industry or role, you have invariably at least heard of Twitter.
Whether or not you've taken the plunge and created a business account depends on a number of factors.
But the fact that a Google search of Twitter produces 779,000,000 results means Twitter is everywhere these days, everyone's talking about it- it is unavoidable.
2)With a phenomenon so powerful and overwhelming, it's difficult not to get entirely caught up and lost in this Twitter craze.
Hearing about it incessantly has led many companies to jump on the bandwagon without devising a social media strategy or truly understanding the benefits and pitfalls of Twitter.
With no clear business objectives, it's easy to end up running around like a Twitter-bird with its head cut off.
HR professionals, such as recruiters and hiring managers, are one subset of corporate America that recognizes the value of leveraging Twitter to meet business goals.
But how can you dive into this Twitter trend without losing your way? To figure out the answer, first let's take a few steps back.
Ironically enough, a comparable situation was occurring within the human capital management (HCM) industry about a decade ago.
HR technology vendors were a dime a dozen, popping up all over the place, overcrowding the industry and confusing consumers.
Everyone was overwhelmed with the myriad options and all the buzz the industry was receiving.
Vendors and consumers alike lost their way, unable to navigate through the hype.
At that point in time, smart companies adopted its back to the basics philosophy.
Before I lose you, dear reader, just stick with me a second- I swear this applies to your Twitter habits.
Good business practices are good business practices, period.
They're applicable across a variety of disciplines, vehicles and industries.
The back to the basics mentality has been a driving factor of organizations' success over the past 10 years.
It served them well and especially helped navigate through an otherwise confusing period of industry upheaval.
Keeping in mind and applying a few of those same fundamentals that worked so well for smart organizations to your company Twitter account will help you stay the course.
A million and one articles about Twitter come out a day; don't get caught up in having the coolest bells and whistles, but rather have strength in the fundamentals.
Which are...
? 1)Flexibility: As an HR pro using Twitter, you're trying to fill open positions, but that certainly doesn't mean the only thing you can tweet about are job openings.
Be flexible! While remaining entirely within the lines of your role as a recruiter, there are so many different ways to leverage Twitter for HR- don't be afraid to use them.
Just because you're using Twitter as a vehicle to source candidates doesn't mean you can't kill two birds with one stone.
A leading recruiter for APCO Worldwide who really gets how to use Twitter for HR, recently wrote a blog post titled "15 Things Recruiters Can Tweet About...
" In addition to the obvious tweets looking for talented candidates, she points out you can also post photos from corporate events, tweet about upcoming recruiting engagements, or even about how far along you are in the process of filling an important position or a high profile new hire.
Mixing it up with flexibility in your Tweet strategy will not only make you a more interesting person to follow, but it'll also earn you a reputation of being a valuable resource.
2)Speed & reliability.
As a recruiter or HR professional, you are the gatekeeper to your company and a candidate's first impression of the organization.
Do you want to give off the attitude that you don't respond in a timely manner to candidate's concerns, questions or feedback? These candidates may become customers at some point down the line.
More importantly, the power of social media enables them to influence your future customers, as well as how your company's brand is perceived.
One experienced HR professional, recently said, "it's crucial for organizations to treat every candidate just like you would treat a customer or prospect.
" Without delving into the damage that can be done by ignoring candidate tweets, being unreliable, or responding at an unacceptably slow pace, just think of everything you have to gain from being fast and reliable in your twitter habits.
Not only will it give your candidates the impression that your company is dependable and considerate, but don't forget Twitter is public-domain.
Your competitors undoubtedly have a saved search on you, and your reaction time is being dually noted- so put your best face forward.
3)It is all about the customer experience.
Again, using the mentality that every candidate should be treated as you'd treat a customer, now is your chance to show them everything you've got.
Use your Twitter account to showcase your company's brand and amazing culture.
Right from the get-go, make it overwhelmingly apparently that this is a company they would love to work for.
Share links to press your company or employees receive, share press releases to keep candidates abreast of new developments.
Tweet about employee programs, a funny interview you just had, career advice so they can have a leg up when it comes time for their interview.
Feel free to go (slightly) off the beaten path and talk about the company picnic or how your corporate basketball team got killed in last night's game.
You can also use your Twitter account to address any questions or concerns they might have.
Are they having a problem with the application process? Are they looking for more resources about your company? The beauty of Twitter is that it's not a monologue, but rather a 2-way conversation.
Engage with candidates, interact and you'll find that their customer- er, candidate, experience will be unparalleled.
And that is the kind of thing that will do wonders for not only your HR department, but your company as a whole.
So, take it from us.
In the midst of all this craziness revolving around Twitter, you have to keep your head on straight to maximize your return on investment into social media.
To truly drive business outcomes and impact the bottom-line, bring it back to the basics- your candidates, customers and corporate brand will thank you for it.
