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For successful recruiting, you first need to get your job openings in front of the right candidates. One good way to do this is by utilizing Facebook – the platform where many people from around the world spend a significant amount of their time. Facebook, though not traditionally used for recruitment, now allows US and Canadian companies to post jobs and accept applications on the platform. Like any other post, the job openings are published on the company’s page and are displayed on the feed.
Companies can promote these job postings just like any other Facebook post promotion, and they can configure demographic targeting such as geographic location, work history, field of study, and other specific factors that help them connect with the right audience.
Let’s dive into the depths of Facebook Jobs so you can decide if it has the potential to be a preferred sourcing channel for your company.
Posting a Job on Facebook
It’s a fairly simple process, similar to publishing a post, only with multiple requirements. Here’s how it works:
- The job opening must be set up and posted on the hiring company’s official page by the page admin.
- The application the candidate completes is basic and not very customizable. They’re asked to provide their contact information, work history, education, and a short answer on why they would be a good fit for the company.
- The company receives and reviews all the applicants through Facebook and can check out their profile for additional information.
- Candidates provide their phone number on the application, but the hiring manager can also communicate with them through the Facebook Messenger app instead.
Tips for Hiring
Like any sourcing channel, companies looking to hire from Facebook can follow a few tips/best practices to get the most out of Facebook Jobs. Here are some ways to optimize your postings:
- You can post your complete job description, but the post title should be limited to ten or fewer impactful words to get people’s attention.
- You should use an eye-catching image to accompany the post, just as you would for a typical marketing post on Facebook.
- You can also post a video instead of an image. It’s a great alternative if your company has a well-produced recruiting video.
- Definitely take advantage of the targeting functionality, so your opening gets in front of the right applicants. One of the best things about Facebook is people provide a great deal of information about themselves.
- Encourage your staff to reshare your job openings with their network.
- Consider paying for the “promoted posting” feature to give your job openings a boost.
- If you’re going to post a lot of jobs on Facebook, it makes sense to have a dedicated “we’re hiring” page to keep your marketing posts separate from employment opportunities.
Disadvantages of Facebook Jobs
Now, not everything is rainbows and sunshine. Although posting jobs on Facebook will increase your odds of finding the right candidate, it does come with a few disadvantages:
- Since you screen your applicants on Facebook, their information isn’t available in your applicant tracking system (ATS). Your recruiting team has to move between two places.
- The Facebook application is fairly basic and isn’t customizable, making it difficult to learn about candidates prior to speaking with them.
- Openings can end up being displayed to a lot of people. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can result in a quite a few unqualified applications that take time to be reviewed.
Takeaways on Using Facebook Jobs
Being able to post jobs and accept applications via Facebook is a welcome development. Almost everyone has a profile on the platform. It can also be a great screening tool, however, it has its fair share of imperfections. You should test its effectiveness for your company, as you should with any sourcing channel, and ascertain whether it’s worth the time and effort of your recruitment team.
