The 4 LinkedIn Mistakes Most Recruiters Make
It’s the social media platform of choice for recruiters everywhere – and little wonder, given the fantastic networking opportunities that LinkedIn affords its 500 million users.
However, if you’re one of the many recruiters guilty of these four common LinkedIn mistakes, you could be seriously damaging your chances of securing top talent or winning valuable business through social recruiting.
So check out the list below and learn how to fix your LinkedIn recruiting fails!
Choosing Quantity over Quality
When it comes to building your LinkedIn network, it can be all too tempting to digitally connect with anyone and everyone who sends an invitation. But while your connection figures may soar, don’t expect to see the same sharp rise in your business results.
Fix It: Before clicking the Connect button, consider the relevance of the person in question to your network. Have you worked with this person? Would you like to engage in a professional relationship? Is the person an influencer within your field? If the answer to all of these questions is “no,” there’s likely to be little value in connecting.
Not Making It Personal
We get it – opting to copy and paste that same templated message when reaching out to multiple connections can be a major time-saver. The downside? Social media users are increasingly savvy to canned communications, and recipients are likely to be less than happy with the lack of effort or research displayed by this “cookie-cutter” approach.
Fix It: Identify one or two personal details about each individual and use this information to personalize your message. Sure, the extra effort may take you a few minutes more, but a simple “I hope you enjoyed your vacation to Hawaii” or “How did the recent expo go?” can make all the difference.
Failing to Keep Up
Just as you wouldn’t spend the whole time talking solely about yourself in a real-life networking situation, you should avoid making the same social faux pas in the digital world. Actively engaging with your connections’ updates shows them you are interested in their activity; as a bonus, it’s also likely to encourage reciprocal interaction with your own posts.
Fix It: Allocate a few minutes each week to review recent activity across your LinkedIn network, making a point to “like” relevant posts, comment on updates, and congratulate connections on their achievements or work anniversaries.
Missing out on Recommendations
At a time when user reviews and online feedback form the basis of so many purchase decisions, professional references can provide much-needed social proof for those considering engaging in your recruitment services. Luckily, LinkedIn’s Recommendations section makes it easy for you to display your glowing reviews, so you can make the most of this valuable feature.
Fix It: After each successful placement, reach out to satisfied parties and ask whether they would be willing to provide their feedback in the form of a LinkedIn recommendation. Make the process as simple as possible by including a direct link to your profile and a quick overview of how to leave a recommendation.
Interested in learning more about social recruiting? Check out these social sourcing tips.
