Social Recruiting...all Twitters is not a Glitter.

After I participated in the@animal http://cli.gs/DBSPy9 Radio Show I became more introspective about how I use Social Media as a Social Recruiting tool. What do I use SM for? How do I integrate SM with Full Life Cycle Recruiting? How do I use SM to source new Client Partners and new Human Capital Partners? I am defining SM as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Blogs. I am sure there are more, but for the sake of this article these will suffice. I have my own bias of LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and telephone with a healthy component of Boolean Searches to glean information.

What happens after I Source Human Capital Partners and Client Partners using all of these SM tools? Is my work completed? Do I simply introduce the two to each other and receive compensation, a multitude of referrals for new business and move to the next project?

I think not. As a Human Capital Specialist I must build a relationship personally with the Human Capital Partner and Client Partner, This relationship is built on trust. I establish this thru frequent, meaningful and professional contact with both parties. I ask the questions embedded with the Power Words "Who, What, Why, Where When and How of both Partners. I discuss with them how I have conducted myself in similar scenarios. I assist them in identifying and defining their challenges and how my brand can meet those challenges by eliciting their buy in. We create a partnership. My skills facilitate this, not SM. SM maybe the delivery mechanism for this, but SM does not make it happen. I use SM as a way of verifying what was agreed upon, better said I use email to verify and validate the level of commitment of all involved. I use the telephone to actually build the relationships with my Partners, wow what a surprise-:)! A series of in person meetings when possible is the best way, but present day logistics make this challenging. Together with my Partners we measure our progress, make adjustments and achieve our mutual goal; the hire.

My skills at asking questions as a Human Capital Specialist, which include the use of Social Media, may qualify me as a Social Recruiter. But I was successfully recruiting by using my social skills long before the Social Media tools existed as many of you were. Now we have evolved and adapted. Social Darwinism applied to Human Capital Acquisition and Client Partner development?

That is my take.

Comment by Jerry Albright on April 8, 2009 at 8:03am: Great post Dave.

I had in mind the same type of post a few days ago and never got around to it. (darn phone kept ringing.....)

What I have been watching over the past several years is an overwhelming focus on a very small part of our work: the identification of candidates/clients.

From the beginning of my career I have always kept an awareness of ALL parts of our job: identification, qualification, presentation, close. So for anyone relying too much on piling up contact names - whether in Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or a trusty yellow notepad - your work has only begun.

Again - good post. Have a nice day!

Comment by Dave Graziano on April 8, 2009 at 10:11am: Thanks Jerry! I had a much edgier version but I toned it down. I am glad you agree. I think it is time we find out what the SM experts actually do in our world. I meand do they pick up the phone and do what you and others on this site make a livivng at?

Comment by Steve Levy on April 9, 2009 at 7:40am: SM is quite a bit of activity - but is it good activity? So many folks have been bitten by the Twitter Bug, the Facebook Flu, the LinkedIn Lameness, thePlaxo Plague - they're all great tools but they're just tools. I use them, I train peeps to use them, I'm really quite good at all SM and integrating SM into other processes.

But SM doesn't make a hire and the longer we hide behind the glitziness of these tools, the more we'll lose our ability to really assess people for things more than their ability to project a 140-character persona.

Nice eye opener Graziano - put up the edgier version: People need to hear the full message.

Comment by Dave Graziano on April 9, 2009 at 7:46am: Thank you Steve! I agree completely! I will be on Animal's Radio show Wed 4/15 12EDT. I am going to get edgier then. I am writing the next post but it has not sorted itself out in my head yet.

I appreciate the support Steve, Thank you.

Comment by Steve Levy on April 9, 2009 at 8:00am: It's human nature to latch onto the latest and greatest - Hey, I'm on the edge, I'm Twittering! I'm hot!

But in most situations it's like slapping a new coat of paint on a house with a rickety foundation and with timbers being eaten by termites. Sure looks good but how much longer will it stand?

Comment by Dave Graziano on April 9, 2009 at 8:09am: Yes, I agree. Nothing will replace our skill to qualify the candidates and the clients and close them, to state it most simply Steve.

Comment by Veronica A on April 12, 2009 at 8:53pm: As I'm doing research and getting ready to do a little sm presentation to my team I keep seeing these kinds of posts and think "ok, what message do I bring back?" I think, maybe the message is balance and understanding these tools are just one more way to find and place quality candidates. I don't think these tools make the recruiter but a great recruiter gives life and meaning to these tools.