With LinkedIn marketing comes LinkedIn recruiting

LinkedIn is the Facebook of business. I’m not a huge Facebook fan – despite working in the marketing world – but I’m a big fan of LinkedIn. I’ve used it for more than 6 years to do everything from keep track of contacts, to find interviewees for research projects to marketing my company or clients. It’s a fantastic tool for marketing and research.

As social media becomes more prevalent, it’s increasingly important for B2B companies to have a presence on LinkedIn. Key employees (if not all) should have a profile that speaks to their expertise and role, and the company should have a profile page too. It’s common now for B2B buyers to use LinkedIn to check in on the individual they’re dealing with – this is especially true in the services world.

Ah, but with all the good that LinkedIn delivers it also has a potential dark side. Recruiters!! One of my colleagues (who used to work in the recruiting industry) says she always chuckles when a recruiter appears on her “who viewed your profile” tab on LinkedIn. She shed some light for me on the recruiting industry and how each company can make sure that social media works only for them, not against them when it comes to recruiting.

Recruiters use social media sites to find out who a company’s employees are, their roles, their tenure and their various qualities. This is valuable information that helps them identify who might be a fit for a role they’re trying to fill.

Recruiters contact employees to see if they’re interested in talking. Employees almost always are – even if they aren’t really interested in a new role. There are a few reasons for this. First, and most commonly, professionals want to know what opportunities are out there. They also like to know how much other companies are willing to pay for their skills and experience – and pay goes beyond just dollars, including things like benefits and flexible working hours.

So as the head of a company, you should be thinking about the power of social media for your marketing, but also about how to protect your company from the potential downside. What should you do?

Start with the basics
Compensation starts with clear job descriptions. Ensure your employees understand what their role is and feel they are being adequately compensated for their roles. Do you have employees that take on various tasks? Some organizations will feel they are saving money by hiring one person to do the job of two, for the salary of one. This employee will eventually feel used- especially if a recruiter calls offering a similar role for a higher pay.

Do your research
Understand what information can be given by a recruiter to your employees. Understand current hiring trends, the type of compensation packages available- ensure yours are competitive with market trends.

Be open
Employees that have open communication with their bosses or managers tend to have deeper loyalty to the company. Make sure your employees understand the benefits they are bringing to your organization. This open communication will also make them feel comfortable enough to approach you if they are having concerns.

Talk about compensation
The problem will not go away if you do not talk about it. Ensure that compensation is a part of every performance review.

Keeping employees happy and motivated through appropriate compensation, continuous feedback and the occasional treat- those who feel that they are being treated fairly will not have a reason to go elsewhere. This way, you can have the social media best of both worlds – marketing and talent.