iCIMS Hire Expectations™

“Come on man, everybody’s doin’ it!” Ok, so despite the saga of teen dramas that suggest otherwise, this is probably not a phrase you regularly heard during adolescence. However, you probably did succumb to Mullets, Furbies, Beanie-Babies or cut-off jean shorts. What does this list of déjà vu invoking items have in common? They are all past trends! While we have finally figured out that talking owl/hamster robots are incredibly creepy, there is much debate over whether Facebook and other social networking sites are here to stay, or will fall into this familiar pattern.

Much like trends, social networking sites must maintain popularity for success, because the power of social networking is dependent on the idea that the users’ friends are also users. Many argue that Generation Y will never loose interest in social networking sites. According to mashable.com, a survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project indicates that two thirds of technology experts surveyed believe that Generation Y will continue to use social networking tools into adulthood. In contrast, a survey done by Roiworld suggests that Generation Y is rapidly loosing interest in Facebook, claiming that “one in five teens with a Facebook profile has decreased or discontinued their use of the site as of April 2010.”

Conversely, Generation X’s use of social media is rapidly increasing. This may be the result of the increased use of social networking in the HR Industry as a means of recruitment. Social Networking sites are exceedingly professionally beneficial. By participating in a social network, companies can easily increase “branding”; then, when they do need to recruit, their brand is already known to the public. With social networking sites, companies can rapidly increase their contacts, especially because they are doing so in a forum where people are already interacting. In addition, social networking can increase employee engagement and showcase the “human face” behind the company.

With numerous benefits, why shouldn’t all companies utilize social networking? It’s simple - the benefits of social media require openness in other areas. Just as there was some logic to the “business in the front, party in the back” theory, despite the embarrassing general haircut, companies must consider the benefits of connectivity in exchange for company privacy. By connecting through social networking, employees are given an influential voice. Though this can increase positive media coverage for the company and provide a forum for receiving advice, it does open the company up to the public (for more information on this, check out Tuesday's blog on Corporate Transparency).

So, although mashable.com says social media is here to stay, and Roiworld says it’s a fading trend, the bottom line is that companies should utilize social networking sites because talent does exist on them. To ensure that the risks do not outweigh the benefits, the company must craft a clear HR Strategy detailing what they are looking for and how they will find it. They should consider that Facebook or MySpace may be more useful in finding summer interns and recent college grads, while Linked-In or Twitter would better resources to fill executive positions. Further, they should consider whether they are going to actively pursue candidates, or just set up pages to facilitate passive recruiting. So, just like the great memories you have from summers in your cut-offs, social networking in HR (even if it turns out to be only a trend) could be a great source for scouting talent and produce lasting positive effects.