News & Events

By Patty Hampton, CSP, Managing Director, Staffing Services/Executive Search Consultant

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, oh my! I deleted my personal MySpace account months ago. I mean what was the point, really? You don’t need to be a technological geek to use any of these social networking sites, but you do need to be a smart and savvy user.

A few months ago, I went to a workshop to listen to and question million dollar consultants on how they use social media in their recruiting practices. One of the speakers mentioned that she has two separate Facebook accounts and has had great success in identifying and placing candidates. Are you serious? I don’t have that kind of time to maintain two accounts! I would have to leave that to the marketing and knowledge network managers who probably love and enjoy the world of social media a lot more than I do. While I couldn’t relate to that particular workshop speaker, I connected with the more seasoned executive search consultants who use LinkedIn. I love LinkedIn!

While I’m not surprised by the Nielson study that reports social network and blogging sites are now the fourth most popular activity on the Internet, I am somewhat annoyed that we have been propagandized! The one subject I talked about in my undergraduate thesis, how mainstream media can cross over into tabloid journalism, is the area that is so unavoidable nowadays.

Using social media as an executive search consultant is just one resource that has the potential to reach millions, but does it attract the right candidates? When you’re looking for candidates do you turn to social media with a specific strategy in mind or are you casting a net that will capture applicants that you’ll never call?

When I’m looking for an executive level candidate that is top-notch, I don’t give Facebook a second thought. Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Facebook doesn’t have top notch executives. I’m an avid user, but I have a few friends that I would think twice about before I offered them an opportunity.

Twitter doesn’t even get my consideration. I do tweet, but you won’t find me tweeting a job announcement believing that I’m going to get the next superstar!

What I have found to be tried and true is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great resource and has the groups and people I’m looking to network with when my clients retain our firm for search services. When I need to network with a subject matter expert, a CEO, or an Executive Director, I turn to LinkedIn. I have put a lot of sense and sensibility into attracting the people I want in my network. What is that old saying, “you have to know somebody to get a job.” Well, I’m looking for people who want a career! Those people seem to be on LinkedIn.

Cyber Recruiting presents a whole new set of threats, challenges, laws and regulations that bug me. Currently, I also have a pesky sales person calling to introduce me to video recruiting. I’m not so sure I want to be in a position of explaining to a candidate why she wasn’t selected over a video feed. I have a hard enough time as it is just sharing the rejection over email!

I guess we have taken recruiting to whole new level with social media. But, really, are we just making things harder, easier, or more convenient? My last hire not only proved that she was technically competent, but she took time to write a handwritten thank you note. Oh, the simple pleasantries we forget.

I don’t think recruiting needs all the hoopla and apps designed supposedly to make our business and lives easier. Being propagandized into thinking that we’re being social media savvy and smart is criminal. There is something to be said when seasoned recruiting techniques meet technology, but I’ll leave that to another blogger.

Maybe by the time I need to dive into another developers’ social media innovation, I’ll be a retired million dollar executive search consultant sipping Mojitos on a Hawaiian Island somewhere Facebooking and Tweeting from an upgraded iPad and sharing pictures of my champagne life.