Google+: 5 Insider Tips to Use When Recruiting Online

Are you familiar with the hottest recruiting online trends? Let us tell you that social recruitment involves sourcing and hiring individuals using famous social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

But have you considered exploring Google+?

In this article, we will discuss 5 tips on why you should use Google+ to source candidates.

What’s the purpose of Google+?

Although Google+ has 540 million monthly active users, the number of individuals who utilize it is likely to be much smaller. So, why should recruiters try Google+ for sourcing candidates?

For starters, it’s preferable to think in terms of quality rather than quantity. Professionals can use Google+ to display their work by creating online portfolios. Hidden gems can be found in Google+ communities, such as designers, writers, and photographers, who are among the most active Google+ users.

Google+ brings rewards with it. Google is something we all utilize regularly, and for a good reason: It controls the largest video-sharing website (YouTube) and gives away 15GB of cloud storage for free. Google+ combines all of these advantages, making it both user-friendly and practical.

It connects to Gmail. Even if you don’t have their contact information, you can use Google to engage with possible candidates. You may send them a message through their Google+ profile, and they’ll get an email notification right away.

Mobile connectivity is a valuable resource. The Google+ mobile app is lightweight and works well with Android smartphones. SEO and Google go hand in hand. Before contacting a recruiter or visiting job sites, many job seekers (especially the less active ones) may conduct a Google search. You should think beyond your regular recruiting online routines to stay ahead of the competition.

However, the recruitment cycle includes more than just sourcing. Google Hangouts, a communication platform, is one of Google’s programs. You might quickly set up a quick conversation (or interview) with a potential candidate you found on Google+. This helps you speed up the recruiting process while maintaining a friendly ambiance.

Why not? It’s an open platform, which means it’s simple to use and constantly evolving. Plus, unlike other channels that charge users to expand their network, search options are free.

How to source on Google+ to improve recruiting online

Browse profiles

When you initially sign up for Google+, you’ll see a search box similar to a Google search.

Although Google+ search is reasonably accurate, it lacks accuracy. To get more accurate results, it’s recommended to use Google search with boolean strings.

If you want to find candidates based on their geography, use both tenses: ‘lives’ and ‘lived.’ Each Google+ profile is used to feature a ‘Places Lived’ section. Although this is no longer the case, the user’s current location may still be displayed as a previous residence. Keep in mind that even if you locate someone who says they “live in New York,” you should double-check. If they haven’t updated their profile in a while, this information may be incorrect.

It could also be worthwhile to look for employees that work (or previously worked) for a specific organization. You should double-check your results if some of the applicants’ profiles are outdated.

All in all, Boolean strings come in handy when you want to narrow down your search to specific abilities or qualifications.

What should you look for in a profile?

When you find a profile that interests you, you can learn more about it instantly. Google+ users offer comments, discuss exciting content, and promote their work based on their social habits. They might also have a separate resume—think of it as a small biography (often with more personality). You may see their summary by clicking the ‘About’ button on a user’s profile.

Many users provide links to their blogs or portfolio websites and a downloadable version of their resumes. Before you decide to contact your candidate, use these resources to learn more about their past and hobbies. This information can customize your message and prepare relevant interview questions.

Communities

All social media platforms have the same goal: to facilitate user interaction and connection. This occurs in Google+ Communities. People with similar interests can join (or form) groups to share their perspectives, learn about new trends, and interact directly. Instead of seeking individuals, recruiters might supplement their sourcing strategy by looking for suitable communities. You’ll get a sense of what interests specialists in a particular field. Suppose you’re looking for developers, for example. You could check via general web development forums, look for specialized capabilities (such as Android and PHP developers), or look into other topics that your candidates might be interested in, such as game development. You might also actively advertise your job openings in communities where people are looking for new jobs.

When you join a community, you gain access to the members’ list, which gives you even more opportunities to contact potential candidates.

Communities can be public or private (you’ll need an invite or ask the community moderator to accept you). Remote communities, in particular, will require you to pay more attention to their community guidelines and follow them, or you risk receiving a permanent ban.

Circles

Google+ circle is a tool that can assist you in organizing your recruiting online efforts. You may organize your contacts and choose which of their updates you want to see. People who don’t follow you will be able to see posts you share with that circle if you add them. Different circles should be created for different positions, skills, and locations. Then, in the relevant circle, add people you follow. They’ll know you’ve joined them to a circle, but they’ll have no idea which one. Using this feature, you can create your talent pools and keep in touch with previous candidates. For example, if you have some fresh internships available, you could update your ‘college undergraduates’ circle.

Build a Google+ page for your business

Your potential candidates are doing their sourcing while you’re running job advertising or sending recruiting emails. Keeping this in mind, giving relevant information on active social media profiles is preferable to attracting more candidates. Begin by creating your business page, configuring your account settings, and posting regular updates on company news, new products and services, and job openings. You may use Google+ to create an attractive page by uploading photographs and videos. Hugo Boss promotes its items on Google+. NASA’s Google+ page has a lot of interesting information. BBC News also sends out news updates to its followers.

Wrapping it Up

When it comes to innovative recruiting online strategies, Google+ might not be the first place that springs to mind. But before you dismiss it, give it a chance. It might turn out to be a pleasant surprise. It isn’t the most popular social network among recruiters only adds to the allure. The less recruitment competition there is, the better your chances of standing out!

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