Social Media vs. Video for Launchpad

Lola Olson Using Video Instead of Social Media to Recruit Words: 411

It’s no secret that now more than ever recruiters, hiring managers, and employers are utilising social media in order to get a real picture of the people they want to hire. According to Mashable, 91% of recruiters screen candidate using Facebook and Twitter as the first spearheading social networks, and then LinkedIn, the intended professional social network, trailing behind. And if they don’t like what they find such as inappropriate photos, poor communication skills, or negative comments about employers then rejection follows.

Obviously this has caused a backlash amongst people who either weren’t aware of privacy capabilities on things like Facebook and Twitter, but also people who feel that employers using social media is invasive and breaks an unspoken rule of privacy. Even the Information Commissioners Office offers the public cautionary advice about using their full names, pictures, and other information on social networking sites.

Yet, on the other hand, recruiters and hiring managers have open job application and a mountain of cold CVs that can give you little to no indication of whether a person has communication skills or any real interest in interacting with a brand or a company. While the battle still wages on between employers and employees in where social media lies between the realms of private and public, personal and work there exists an option that gives recruiters the benefit of visualising and understanding their candidates without the ethical dilemma of social media stalking.

Video hiring, whether through video resumes, recorded interviews, or live interviews, can not only bridge the gap between the cold CV and the recruiter or hiring manager, but it can also provide a clear picture of who your candidate is, how they interact, and what skills they can bring to the table.

With hiring costs rising 2% in 2011 to a total of £2,226 per hire in the UK, the added stress on companies and the tedious process of interviewing creates a huge costly obstacle that video hiring can solve. And having those interviews recorded and easily viewable, like you can do with LaunchPad’s services, can save time trying to jot down the best notes and give you the ability to focus on getting to know the employee.

It may be too early to tell whether social media will become off limits for hiring managers and recruiters, but in the meantime, there is a way to get through that stack of CVs without having to witness someone’s embarrassing social media faux paus.