05. THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN RECRUITMENT & SELECTION

 


Social media, defined as the set of internet-based platforms based on Web that allow users to generate and exchange their own content.

It is the platform which allows users to create their public or partially profiles on web. Users can connect to others very easily and create their own list of connections, contents posted by the users on these platforms can be easily explored by others. 

Some of the most commonly used platforms are LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Other platforms like Research Gate, Google Scholar, etc. Other than these there are various blog sites, which allows the users to share their thoughts and ideas freely without inviting any unnecessary sanctions. 

Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter are becoming increasingly instrumental in recruitment.

The growth in social media has impact on the use of social media within HR practices, especially in the recruitment and selection process. It can be very tempting for HR professionals to check job applicant’s social networking profile. 

On the one hand Social Media Networks provide a wealth of information beyond, or even possibly contradicting, an applicant’s submitted documents.
Social networking sites allow users to create web-based profiles where individuals can interact and the new generation on the labour market uses this channel to search for jobs.

Pros

  • Easy way to reach a specific target group.
  • Fast.
  • Cost effective.
  • Can gather more detailed information about a job applicant. 
  • Can attract the actively looking out candidates.
  • Easy to headhunt from industry competitors.
  • Helps employer branding.

Cons

  • If a company searches for a diverse workforce, recruiting via Social Media is more difficult.
  • Individual Social Media Accounts could shape impressions and judgement about the candidates which influence the HR professional’s selection decision. 
  • Could create a negative impact on the trust formation between the employer and the future employee.
  • Certain information on Social Media can be biased due to preference of the recruiters. 




Comments

  1. Uditha DilshanDecember 28, 2021 at 11:08 PM

    To some extent, I agree with you, Chanika. Social media is essential in every industry. This also applies to recruitment.

    Linkedin is an important platform for finding job opportunities. This is widely used in the global context. However, in the Sri Lankan job market, social media recruitment was limited to a few industries, such as IT.

    In my opinion, HR professionals at the country's leading institutes in each sector should encourage this. They are currently restricted to traditional recruitment patterns and are hesitant to think outside the box. Both employers and job seekers should contribute to this. It is the responsibility of both parties to aggressively promote it, as in the case of the current pandemic.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Piyumi Imalka LiyanageDecember 30, 2021 at 1:00 AM

    There are some countries where the use of social media has been banned. Even in Sri Lanka there were times where some was temporarily banned. However, my personal believe is that, most of the social media platforms, specially Facebook is not suitable to measure the candidate as there are people who are having extremely different personal qualities in personal life and in work life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ROMESH GAMAGEJanuary 1, 2022 at 11:40 AM

    Currently social media plays a vital role in the global context in every type of business, but it is not suitable to 100% rely on it. Any one cant ensure the accuracy of the date found in the social media platform as any person has the access to open accounts in its database.
    Even people use fake accounts for various activities to achieve there requirements such as number of likes in face book platform.
    Considering that this platform is very much propeller, mainly among the young generation it can be used for such recruitments for sum extent with extended caution.

    ReplyDelete

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