I've been reading a lot on Gen-Y Talent and what it means for the Recruiting industry. There are many different opinions on how to and how much to pick from the Gen-Y Talent pool, but the one opinion that seems to be making itself more fact now than ever is that Gen-Y is here. Between the power of the Web and the researched behavior of an "average" Gen-Y job candidate, companies and recruiters should know exactly what two words need to be on repeat -social recruiting.

Rosetta Thurman, president of Thurman Consulting and a passionate writer and speaker on social change through Gen-Y, recently blogged a list of 36 facts about Gen-Y "in the workplace and beyond." While all 36 facts individually struck me in one way or another, the statistics regarding Gen-Y online really got me thinking. Here are a few facts from Thurman's 36:

• 93% of young adults (ages 18-29) go online
• 75% of Millennials have created a profile on a social networking site
• 53% of the total blogging population is 21-35 years old

(All research courtesy of Pew Research Center)

While these statistics (and others like them) can make anyone's eyes pop, they shouldn't be red lights for companies and recruiters looking to hire fresh talent - they should be green lights. Social recruiting is now. The majority of job-seeking candidates are on the Web. Companies need to understand and utilize the power of social media channels as job boards and build a brand image that appeals to Gen-Y job-seekers through the Web. Be creative. Use recruitment metrics to measure your recruitment marketing strategies. You will find the best of Gen-Y Talent online.

So, that may or may not be a lot of words. Breakdown? Use these 5 W's for recruiting Gen-Y Talent:

Who? - Generation Y (the generation born during the 1980's and 90's)

What? - Social Recruiting: Finding, engaging, and hiring candidates through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

When? - Now! Harness the power of social media!

Where? - The Web, specifically social media/networking sites

Why? - Gen-Y Talent is online! Develop a social recruiting strategy that will best capture a Gen-Y audience!