McKinsey reports that companies “in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.” In other words, fostering a more inclusive workplace isn’t just the right thing to do, it also improves your business.
If your company is looking for to find, attract and hire more diverse applicants, Twitter is an excellent resource. Here’s how to get started.
- Create an account
Some companies use their primary Twitter account for recruiting, but many create a separate, HR-only account. Consider a Twitter handle that combines your company name with something hiring-related.
For example:
- “@(CompanyName)Jobs”
- “@WorkWith(CompanyName)”
If you’re a recruiter who works with multiple employers, use your personal account or a separate handle like:
- “@(YourName)Recruiter”
- “@(RecruiterYour)Name”
- Edit your profile
Use your 160-character Twitter bio to tell candidates what you’re all about. Don’t forget to include a link to your jobs page.
Some examples:
- “Official jobs account for @(CompanyName). In search of great talent across all race, ethnicity, gender, disability, vet status.”
- “What it’s like to work at @(CompanyName). Follow us for job listings and dispatches from our team.”
- “Recruiter looking for diverse creatives for agency gigs. Say hi!”
- Tweet job listings
When a new job opens up, tweet a link to the listing more than once and at various times of the day to make sure you reach all of your followers. And change up the message every time you tweet, so you don’t sound like a hiring robot.
- “Actively seeking diverse candidates for new Sr. Editor position.”
- “Spread the word—now hiring three Account Executives!”
- “We’re committed to inclusive hiring practices. Apply to be our new Social Media Manager.”
- Tweet other content
Don’t focus solely on job openings, or your followers will get bored, fast. Share content that demonstrates why your company is a great place to work for ALL people.
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Think about content like:
- Photos from company events
- Short video interviews with current employees
- Links to projects your team is working on
- Retweet interesting content from your company’s primary Twitter account
- Search for candidates
Twitter’s search function is an amazing tool when you want to go out and look for applicants.
One way to start: in the Twitter search bar, type in the job title you think your perfect candidate might already have. It could be the same title as the one you’re hiring for, or perhaps you want someone in a more junior role who’s seeking an advancement opportunity.
When the search results appear, be sure to select the “People” filter. You’ll see a long list of Twitter users who have that job title in their profile.
- Find other accounts to follow
You’ll probably want to follow some of the Twitter users you find through search. When they see that you followed them, they’ll likely click on your handle and see your available job openings. There are plenty of other accounts to follow, too. It’s especially helpful to check out companies in your industry to see their Twitter recruiting techniques.
- Use and follow hashtags
Join the conversation about equitable hiring with other HR professionals. Search for hashtags like #HRtrends and #Worktrends to see what people are talking about. Don’t miss #Nextchat, a weekly Twitter conversation run by the Society for Human Resources Management (@SHRMnextchat) every Wednesday at 3 pm ET. You can follow along or participate in the chat.
When you’re tweeting, use hashtags like:
- #Jobs
- #JobSearch
- #Hiring
- #NowHiring
- #(CityName)Job, like #NYCJob or #ChicagoJob
- #(Industry)Job, like #JournalismJob or #MediaJob
- Be normal!
Follow the same Twitter best practices that any person or individual would follow in normal life. Don’t talk about yourself all the time. Share information and content that’s interesting to your audience. Reach out in a friendly way to people you want to connect with. And remember that everything you tweet, favorite or retweet is public… so use your best judgment.
Looking for fantastic new candidates? Post your job listing on Mediabistro today.
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