Social media recruiting: 7 tips and tricks for successful youth marketing

In times of social media, it is more important than ever for companies to reach and target their audiences online. Recruiting young talents and future professionals is increasingly being done through social media channels. Many companies are taking this step – some more successfully than others. In this article, you'll learn how to optimize your social media recruiting strategy and which tips and tricks to follow.

Why Social Media Recruiting?

It's simple: Social media has become an integral part of everyday life for many young people. They spend a lot of time here, exchanging ideas with friends and like-minded individuals. Social media allows companies to communicate with potential candidates on an equal footing, be approachable and transparent, and position themselves as an attractive employer. But to succeed, a few key points must be considered.

1. Choose the Right Platform

The first goal of social media recruiting is to identify the right platforms for your target audience. Depending on your industry and whom you want to attract, different channels are suitable for recruiting.

If you want to showcase your company through high-quality short videos and are looking for apprentices, TikTok might be a good option. There, you’ll primarily find a very young audience that, while swiping through hundreds of videos, is mostly looking for entertainment. Standing out in this environment is possible, but not easy – especially if your marketing budget and brand recognition can't compete with giants like Edeka or Vodafone.

On Instagram (or Meta), things are somewhat more moderate. You don’t necessarily need an elaborate video production to stand out. Creative ads are enough. We've already covered how these should look in another article: Advertising for Teenagers – 7 Tips to Reach the Target Audience.

Our own platform, the student app scoolio, also deserves mention here. On our platform, students can be targeted directly with video or traditional image ads. Unlike TikTok and Instagram, however, these ads are placed in a structured learning and organizational app where they don’t have to compete with entertainment and are targeted specifically at students.

2. Build an Attractive Employer Brand

To recruit successfully on social media, it is important to build an attractive employer brand. This includes clear employer positioning, conveying company values, and presenting the company in an authentic and credible way. Storytelling and showcasing employees can help position your company as a desirable employer.

3. Place Ads Strategically

To succeed in social media recruiting, job postings must be strategically placed. Define the specific regions and age groups where your ads should be displayed.

4. Personalized Approach and Interaction

Another crucial factor in social media recruiting is personalized, target-group-specific communication. Use direct and engaging language, such as: "Join our team!" or "Help us make people happy."

Additionally, companies should actively respond to questions and comments to build trust and interest among potential candidates. The more engagement with your audience, the better for your company.

5. Authenticity and Honesty

A successful recruiting strategy requires authenticity and honesty. These are the key factors when presenting your company on social media! Companies should not pretend to be something they’re not. Instead, they should offer a sincere and genuine portrayal of their work environment and open positions. Be transparent! Provide insights into daily work life by sharing videos and pictures of employees in their real workplace. It’s important that those featured in the content appear natural and genuinely enthusiastic.

The following accounts are great examples of engaging social media recruiting:

• TikTok - City of Heidenheim
• TikTok - Edeka Esslinger
• TikTok - Volksbank Mittelhessen
• TikTok - Roofer Chiara
• Instagram - DRK Rescue Service Mittelhessen
• Instagram - Heinje Nursery
• Instagram - NAW Berlin
• Instagram - Dräger Vocational Training

6. Actively Search for Candidates

Companies should also proactively search for candidates on social media. This can be done by browsing hashtags, joining discussions, or using social listening tools. On Scoolio, companies and users can even interact directly via an open chat.

7. Continuously Improve Your Recruiting Strategy

Social media is an ever-evolving medium. Therefore, continuous optimization of recruiting strategies is essential. Companies should regularly evaluate which platforms and approaches work best and adjust accordingly. Candidate feedback should also be incorporated to continuously improve the strategy.

Summary:

• Social media recruiting enables companies to specifically target young talents and position themselves as attractive employers.
• Choosing the right platform, building an employer brand, placing job postings effectively, and using personalized communication are key factors.
• Providing insights into work life, authenticity, and transparency are absolutely essential.
• Continuous improvement of the recruiting strategy is crucial for social media success.

We hope our tips help you create your social media recruiting campaign. Want to learn more? Or are you looking for a partner to help you select the right social media channels? We’d love to share our expertise! From creating and distributing a recruiting campaign to video production.

Do you already have an idea for your youth marketing campaign? Then check out our scoolio-ENGINE where you can independently plan a campaign targeted exclusively at users of our student app, scoolio.

Either way – we wish you great success in your social media recruiting!

Author: Team scoolio

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