This week, I finish my series with discussion on Facebook in recruiting. I found that there are some pretty strong opinions as to if Facebook should or should not be used in recruiting.  What do you think? Should those heads you are hunting be given a face?

The Pro-Facebook crowd thinks it is logical to use this huge social network site in connecting job seekers and recruiters. The job seekers don’t mind being contacted via Facebook. The recruiters that embrace Facebook for business seem to be pretty transparent with their social presence. They are not too concerned about mixing their professional life with their personal profile.

As for the opponents, the Non-Facebook crowd, they believe Facebook is a personal networking site and should be left that way. The recruiters in this crowd say they haven’t found value in the time spent on Facebook . The Non-Facebook crowd of  job seekers just don’t like the idea of opening up their personal space to recruiters, or anyone related to business and commerce for that matter.

I don’t have an exact percentage of how many people belong to each of these groups, but I know that I belong to the Pro-Facebook crowd. Here’s why:

Let’s say, just as an example, that only 1% of Facebook users would be perfectly fine networking via Facebook regarding their career. Now, remember, we are talking about 1% of a billion people. I can’t help but to say “bee-lee-on “ in the voice of Dr. Evil with my right pinky lifted to my smile. Seriously though, ask yourself, “Am I willing to give up those candidates or hiring managers that DO want me to find them on Facebook just to keep my Facebook private?” If you are not, I have a few ideas on how to leverage your Facebook account in your recruiting business.

Post Your Job Orders On Your News Feed.

Don’t be afraid to share the positions you are working on by posting them as a status update. Your personal network can be very powerful. Sometimes the least likely source can have an extended connection to the candidate you are looking for, or the business you are trying to engage.  Ask your friends to share your jobs. You will be surprised at how many will do this. Post a brief job description and link to where a candidate can apply right in your news feed. If you are using REKRUTR, once you have connected your Facebook account, every job will automatically post to your Facebook news feed. If you’re not, this will take a little longer, but I still encourage you to do this.

Check out Graph Search

This month, Facebook has rolled out their new Graph Search. Graph Search allows you to search the pool of public information provided by its users via this search tool.  You can use simple keywords to seek out individuals you may want to contact. Try using the phrase “People who currently work as …” to start your search.  Once you find all of the people with that specific title, you can narrow it down using the advanced searching tools on the right side of your results. Maybe you narrow by location, or by a specific business target. Remember when you asked the client who they would want to find candidates from? Plug those competitors right in and see what you find.

Create a Group Page for Potential Candidates

Consider starting a group on Facebook within your niche. This is a great place to generate leads . You can post engaging blog articles or questions that let users demonstrate their deep  knowledge on a subject. Groups can be moderated by you, the owner, so  as to keep the member information private if necessary. It is also helpful as a way to keep candidates that are not right for your current job orders close at hand. You are able to demonstrate your own expertise from a distance by communicating in mass but still  stay in touch with great talent. For more information on creating a Facebook group, go HERE.

Which Facebook crowd do you belong to? Leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear from both sides on why they use Facebook or why not.