1) Build trust. Too often social media sites are used simply as job boards (for jobs that needed to be filled yesterday!). But don’t forget to invest in the future too. By this, I mean establishing personal credibility and being a resource for people. This allows you to build valuable long term relationships that can prevent you from sounding—or feeling—like a used car salesman. When you build quality relationships, you’re in a better position to ask “Do you know anyone who…” or “Where do you think I can find…” and receive a thoughtful reply. Never discount how priceless this is.
2) Expand your horizons. LinkedIn is not the alpha and omega of social recruiting. Get a little crazy. Join Pinterest and pin open positions, photos of recruiting events, infographics, and more.
3) Ask and ye shall receive. Ask a question (that’s relevant to a specific profession that you’re recruiting for) on a social media site like Reddit and you’re likely to receive replies from countless experts on the subject. Experts that might be your ideal job candidates…