How to Hire Star Talent Using Social Media Sites

As a growing company, we always have human resource needs that come up. In the past few months itself I have searched online for: blog writers, PR professionals, a printing press, an ebook layout artist, a copywriter and an intern.

What might surprise you is that I didn’t use elance or craigslist. I used Facebook and Twitter!

What are the steps to hiring star talent using Facebook an Twitter?

1. Finalize the Job Description - If you want to catch the right fish, you have to use the right bait. Okay, okay, I have never been fishing-but you get the idea! Don’t look for someone to “kinda sorta” do something. Have a solid description of what you need.

2. Formulate your Ad under 140 Characters - “Need a part time graphic designer, 2 yrs. experience a must. Link.com for more information.” Or “Now hiring an intern. Smart, go-getter, can work from home!” Provide a link to a webpage for more information if needed. Encourage others to repost your ad, and be sure to thank them when they do. Be patient as it can take a few hours to a few days to circulate around fully.

3. Paste your Ad Into Your Status Update box - You can tweet your ad and post it as your status update on Facebook. I use ping.fm which allows me to update all my status boxes across the board (including Linked-In, Bright Kite, and FriendFeed.)

4. On Facebook: Look into groups. On Twitter: Look at Search. By now, there are thousands of groups on Facebook representing a RANGE of professionals. You can find a group using the general Facebook search option. Think about who you want to hire first. Let’s say you are looking for a PR professional. Search for “Public Relations.” I just did a real quick search on Facebook and found an Offical PR group. It has 10,000 members AND you can post job opportunities on the wall. Perfect! On Twitter, you can use twitter search and type in industry related keywords. Be sure to try phrases as well, i.e., “looking for a job.” This will list anyone who has tweeted that phrase. Contact them directly if the opportunity makes sense.

5. Track and follow up. Track the applicants and follow up with everyone who responds. It’s not good etiquette to ignore responses. Even if someone isn’t a good fit, let them know. They took the time to respond. They deserve a polite response.

6. Narrow down the applicant pool. Check their profiles, their notes, and their updates. What does this tell you about them? Their profile tells a story. While some people may cry foul and say “well, Facebook is just where I have fun”-they are still savvy enough to know that people judge the full picture.

7. Schedule skype interviews. I prefer to do an initial interview on skype because 1) it lets me see their written communication skills and 2) generate a quick impression. If they seem like a good fit, I hire right then and there. If I need more information, I schedule a phone interview.

Any more questions about hiring using social media?

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Which Social Media Network Are You? A Quiz.

1. You started developing your REAL personality in..

a. Highschool. Didn’t everyone?
b. College was when it all started to come together…
c. Not until I started working. That’s when I got to know my real self.
d. It’s a journey! It’s a journey!

2. Your life is …

a. An open book.
b. All about the relationships!
c. Work.
d. Box of chocolates, or wait…is it a bouquet of flowers?

3. Your favorite subject in school was …

a. Art and Music.
b. English
c. Math and Science
d. Cafeteria. Lunch time! Also whatever I was in the mood for that year.

4. Your room is best described as…

a. A canvas that reflects my soul.
b. Covered with pictures, momentos, and notes.
c. Minimalistic.
d. Depends on what day it is. Monday-super clean, Tuesday- craft day, Wednesday- lost socks…

5. Your ideal night out is…

a. Listening to the hottest live band in town.
b. A dinner and movie with close friends.
c. Dinner at home, followed by a book.
d. A party with my 1000 closest friends.

Mostly A’s: MySpace: You bloomed early. You aren’t shy, like live music, and need outlets for your creativity.

Mostly B’s: Facebook: You are growing fast! You have made your share of mistakes but continue to learn and grow. You probably love taking and sharing pictures. The relationships in your life are key.

Mostly C’s: Linked-In: Work is worship. Your work defines you, and you are constantly looking at climbing the ladder. Ambitious and smart, just be careful not to close yourself off.

Mostly D’s: Twitter: Here today, there tomorrow. You know how to roll with the punches, go with the flow, etc. And, you don’t mind holding 10 conversations at once. Overall a jolly person. More the merrier right?

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Auto Responding on Twitter: A Do or Don’t?

There is a hot discussion going on down at Chris Brogan’s blog. Chris argues that social media is no place for robotic behavior. I agree. Being a valuable human being is important in life and social media…go figure.

Specifically, he expresses his loathing for auto responders like Tweet Later which allow one to automate messages to their followers. And looking at his comments, it seems like many agree with him. Lots of Amens. While I deeply respect Chris and 99.9% of the time agree (vigorous head nodding and all) with him. This time, I disagree.

Like all tools, I think auto responders have a place. They can be used intelligently and with good intentions OR they can be used as tools to spam people. It’s about the choice isn’t it?

Auto responders are akin to wearing bright colors in fashion. Done right, it is a definite do. Done wrong and it’s a major fashion disaster.

I use Tweet Later to do a few things…

1) Automatically follow anyone who follows me. Why not? If you can take the time to follow my tweets, why can’t I do the same? By following me, you show me a sense of trust and respect. I appreciate it that, which is why I use it to…

2) Thank you. Yes, I do automate my gratitude. What’s wrong with that? I am GENUINELY grateful when someone decides to follow me. They have chosen to give me the time of their day. Whether it’s a second, a minute, or an hour. I am honored. When my entire family calls me at midnight on my birthday, I email them ALL in the morning thanking them for their love and thoughtfulness. No one minds. I am sincerely grateful.

3) Provide a link to my about Shama page. NOT a sales page. The most COMMON direct message I get from new followers is: So, what do you do? Or, tell me about yourself. Can I do this in 140 characters? Ummm..I can try. But, a link is more efficient and a fairer answer. I don’t make money when people click. This is also a sincere form of sharing.

My feeling is that when someone says they HATE receiving automated messages, they are really saying they hate not being acknowledged as an individual. And I think, herein lies the culprit. We judge intentions.

Automated Message (same content) = You don’t care about me! You are only trying to spam me!

Personal Message (same content) = Ah, you do see me as a person!

So, is TIME how we measure intentions now? If I take the time to personally write out the same message I could have automated, it some how becomes more valuable? And valuable ENOUGH to you to justify hours of my time? Because, if I reply to you, I want to make sure I reply to all.

I don’t get offended when someone I follow says thank you. Perhaps I am too optimistic in my approach to life, but I like to believe in people’s innocence and good intentions until proven guilty. Spam me, and you WILL irk me. I think there is a fine line between disrespecting someone (spamming them with innane links or continuous irrelevant questions) and using auto responders to share something worthwhile.

And with that ladies and gentlemen, I must conclude that auto responders are indeed a DO. But you must be careful not to abuse the tools.

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