From websites to social media, the Internet offers a number of ways to spread your contract staffing message even further than anyone would have thought possible even 10 years ago.
Here are a few ways to get the most out of these common internet mediums:
Your Website
Does your website make it clear that you provide contract staffing services in addition to direct hire? You should at least have a paragraph on your website devoted to contract staffing. Better yet, add a page about your contract staffing services for clients and ANOTHER one for candidates. These pages should point out the advantages of contract staffing for both groups and why they should utilize YOUR services. This will help you get found by companies and candidates using Internet search engines to find recruiters who offer contract staffing, particularly if you use keywords such as contracting, contractor, etc. Bonus points for dedicating posts to contract staffing, which can boost your inbound marketing, help you share your expertise, and set you apart from the competition.
LinkedIn®
This is probably the most popular social media site for recruiters, but are you using it to its full advantage? Be sure to mention contract staffing on both your personal and company profiles. Remember, you have 120 characters in the headline for your title, so make sure some of those characters mention contract staffing, contractors, contracting, or something similar. Those keywords can help you get found by potential clients and candidates. You can also join and participate in LinkedIn Groups in your niche. By participating in discussions and posting RELEVANT content in Groups, you can again differentiate yourself. It’s a good idea to start by reading others’ conversations and commenting on them before you start posting your own discussions. You can also start your own Group to further expand your name recognition. But whether you are posting in other groups or your own, you always want to provide useful information rather than being self-promotional.
Any recruiter can simply post their job openings. If you want to stand out, retweet others’ posts, comment, and try to spur your own discussions by tweeting relevant and useful information. And don’t forget to use hashtags by putting a # in front of phrases you think people will search on. You can find hashtags trending in certain industries by using hashtagify.me.
Marketing on Facebook has always been challenging, especially in the business-to-business arena, but since Facebook changed its algorithm, it is getting nearly impossible for businesses to get seen by simply creating good posts (although video posts on Facebook’s platform can give you a boost). Businesses will most likely have to use paid advertising to get seen on Facebook. However, there is some good news. With well over a billion users, Facebook has the largest database of candidates available. Thanks to the “Open Graph” search, which is built around natural language rather than keywords, you can employ Facebook recruiting to find contract candidates with very specific criteria.
Google+
Despite reports that this social media site is doomed, Google says its social networking site isn’t going anywhere. And according to Social-Hire.com, it has more ACTIVE users than LinkedIn, and users tend to respond more quickly than they do in LinkedIn. It also has some good features. For starters, it allows you to segment connections into customizable Circles. You can tailor different posts to candidates and clients and even segment contacts into different industries if you have multiple niches. Then there are the video chats called Hangouts, which allow you to conduct candidate interviews virtually and can even be recorded. This is especially useful for contract placements that need to be made quickly or when the candidate is remote. Google+ also has “Communities,” much like LinkedIn’s Groups. Despite the relative youth of this site you would be wise not to ignore Google+. But remember, Google+ is very visual, so be sure to use eye-catching images on your posts.
If Google+ doesn’t produce results, you can always try a Google search. A Google resume search can uncover hundreds of targeted candidates if you know which search operators to use.
This is the last social media network many would think of when it comes to recruiting. Yet some recruiters are finding success there, although more often on the candidates side than with clients. Those seeking creative contractors, like Graphic Artists and Web Designers, will likely have the best luck because those professionals often share work on Pinterest. You can find them by searching for terms such as “resume,” “cv,” and “portfolio.” Pinterest can also be a branding tool if you provide useful information to your audience. You will want to think a little “outside the box” and figure out what tools or information candidates can use to do their job better. For instance, if you recruit Web Designers, they may enjoy posts with uniquely designed pages. People in education may appreciate classroom tips. To learn about how one recruiting firm has successfully used Pinterest, check out our article about PediaStaff’s Pinterest Profile.
This is just a small sampling of the tools and sites that can help you spread your contract staffing message. If you are ready to shake up your contract staffing marketing, the Internet offers infinite marketing options that are just there waiting to be discovered.
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