ITWeb : I can likez to haz a blog...

Pages | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

In and out

Social networking is relevant as more than just a tool to interact with customers, however. Says Graylink head Mark Gray: “Social networking offers faster, cheaper and more effective communication, networking and collaboration, especially when it comes to recruitment. Compared with the cost of newspaper recruitment classifieds, social networking sites are much cheaper to push out information about a company. Easily segmentable groups of very active audiences on these sites make it easier to reach the right people than the untargeted approach of newspaper advertising. Additionally, the neutral environment social networks provide to share information makes it much easier for companies to start conversations with top candidates, as they don't feel they're being sold to.”

No middleman

"Never before have corporates had such a direct line to their customers."
Pedro van Gaalen, group media director, Hello World Agency

And then there's the cost benefit. “The cost is significantly less than what a recruitment agency charges, typically 15% to 25% of a candidate's first annual package,” he states.

Integr8 IT joint-MD Robert Sussman concurs: “The future workforce exists in the world of social networking. That is where the talent lies and where people are meeting, networking and trading, not just in terms of transactions but in terms of their personal lives, family business and so on.”

Sussman says his company encourages staff to use Facebook, and that executives make a point of connecting to staff, sending birthday wishes and taking advantage of all of the benefits social networking brings.

Virtual headhunting

"The future workforce exists in the world of social networking."
Robert Sussman, joint-MD, Integr8

There is a downside to Facebook, as Sussman notes. “One of the big concerns is that companies set up company groups, which anyone can join and use to see who works where, how long they've been there, what they do, what their culture is and how they interact with colleagues. It's a hunting ground for recruiters.”

Sussman admits his company uses it to headhunt staff. And Graylink's Gray offers a case in point – his company has been using digital means, now including social media, to recruit on behalf of its clients for years.

This is one of the reasons many companies don't want to give staff access to sites like LinkedIn, a business networking site, for example.

Next page: Pros and cons

Pages | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

MORE NEWS

•JZ hotline flooded

•Satellite still grounded

•Cipro aims to lead e-govt