Table of contents
  1. Why Use Social Media to Find Job Candidates?
  2. What Should a Social Media Job Posting Include?
  3. Template for a Catchy Job Post
  4. 20 Real ‘We’re Hiring’ Examples
  5. Conclusion

Social media is used throughout our lives, and it can be a powerful tool for career development. Professionals are using social media for learning, networking, and job seeking, and employers are increasingly announcing job openings on social media.

If you’ve been hesitant to use social media for recruitment, whether you’re worried about avoiding social media disasters or because you just don’t know where to start, we’ve got you covered. This guide shares creative and professional ways to attract the best talent with catchy phrases for job postings, complete with 20 “we’re hiring” social media post examples to inspire your recruitment efforts.

Why Use Social Media to Find Job Candidates?

Hiring top talent has become key for organizations in virtually every major industry in recent years. In a candidate-driven market, employers are experiencing an increasingly competitive market for skilled employees. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 10.1 million job openings in August 2022 but just 6.3 million hires. Employers are having to work harder to stand out and reach the right candidates under these conditions.

This is what makes social media a vital tool in any organization’s recruitment strategy. The reach of social media is vast, enabling you to find candidates you might have missed otherwise.

According to a Jobvite report, the most popular social media platforms for finding high-quality candidates are LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. When it comes to job postings on these platforms, the talent pool is deep, so you’ll want to aim for quality over quantity and be sure you are attracting the right candidates.

What Should a Social Media Job Posting Include?

Any job posting you make should be informative, engaging, and authentic. Some of the elements we discuss should generally be included as best practice, while others you can consider adding to give your posting an edge. Here are the most important details for your social media job post to include.

·   Purpose of post. The opening line should immediately let people know what they’re reading, i.e., an opening line such as “we’re hiring” or “work for us.”

·   Positions(s) available. Include the job title for any specific vacancies and clarify if there are multiple openings available.

·   Work location. Specify if new hires are required to be based in a specific country and whether they can work remotely, in the office, or in a hybrid situation.

·   Working hours. Describe whether the positions are full-time or part-time, state the hours if they are fixed, and express any flexibility on offer.

·   Pay and benefits. What will new hires get in exchange for their work? It is advisable to refrain from vague indications of pay and benefits with descriptions such as “competitive.” Include the actual salary or salary range and examples of your most enticing benefits.

·   Main requirements. If the role requires specific qualifications as a barrier to entry, as is the case in some professions, this should be made clear. For example, “New York bar-qualified Attorney” will rule out anyone who doesn’t meet this specification.

·   Call to action. Let candidates know the next steps in the application process, i.e., whether they should forward a resume and cover letter or click a link to complete an application form. Include a deadline, and state clearly if the posting will be closing earlier if enough applications are sent in.

Template for a Catchy Job Post

As an example, here’s a very simple “we’re hiring” LinkedIn post example that you can use as a template for your company’s posts (or send it to your recruiting firm to use).

Opening line: Come and join our [people-centric] [User Experience] team. We’re hiring [3 remote UX designers] to [develop our new engagement app].

[Image or video]

Text: [Company LLC] is experiencing a period of rapid growth. We are excited [to launch our new engagement app] with your help. We’d love to hear from [UX designers] who have a passion for [human-centric design and agile methodologies]. The position comes with [$60k per annum, a laptop of your choice, unlimited PTO, and a supportive working environment].

Call to action: If you’re interested, learn more and apply [via our website] today. Applications close on [1 January].

Here are a few more quick tips for an eye-catching post.

·  Make it attractive by using images and colors to draw attention.

·  Include your company’s branding in the text and imagery.

·  Be concise. Include just enough information to reel candidates in before redirecting them to your website for full details.

20 Real ‘We’re Hiring’ Examples

Social media allows you to be more creative with your job posts than an average job advertisement tool.

You can embed images, videos, and animations directly into the posting and categorize the post with hashtags to reach those who are seeking such posts.

Check out these 20 examples of some of the most creative “we’re hiring” posts we’ve seen.

We’ve organized them into larger ideas to focus on so you know just what to do to inspire your future campaigns. 

Connect through culture

People want to work for organizations they feel an affinity with. The best way to draw in these candidates is to share your core values. Don’t stop at sharing what you stand for—show candidates throughout the hiring process that you also live those values and have fostered a great company culture.

Quotes or videos from employees testifying to the company culture can be a great way of connecting with candidates of a like mind.

1. This CVS Health Facebook post showcases the company’s supportive culture by sharing an employee’s memorable experience of returning from maternity leave.

2. Sprout Social sells its work-life balance as a means of attracting potential applicants. Its YouTube video contains employee quotes demonstrating how flexible working for Sprout is. This allows prospective employees to connect with the culture and visualize themselves working in that environment.

3. Amazon uses employee advocacy, wherein employees speak favorably of their experience at the company, to help enlist new recruits. Its videos allow you to “hear directly from the people who work there about the endless opportunities, flexible nature, and teamwork that’s part of the office’s inherent framework.”

Set the scene

Candidates need to be able to envision themselves working for the organization before they apply. They want to know what the employee experience is like and how they can make a contribution to the company’s purpose through their role.

Paint a picture for them that lets them know that your company, and specifically their role, will make a difference. Use key phrases to entice prospective applicants about what their role will entail and the changes it will contribute to. Just be sure you can back this messaging up when the new hires start, as people who applied for this reason will feel misled otherwise.

4. Marriot entices people to join its tech team to “help us build the future of travel” with hashtags such a #buildwhatsnext and #techdisruptor to attract those who are excited by innovation in the industry.

5. Keen Project Solutions uses a bright branded image with a provocative statement to draw applicants in: “Smartest person in the room? Might be time to find a new room.” Then it sets the scene with “If you are ready to think different, it’s time to think Keen” and “Are you looking for a company that will challenge you to be your best?”

6. Campbell Soup Company invites you to “Grow your roots at Campbell!” with a visual of a young plant held in cupped hands. The ad uses the company’s business goals to entice candidates, stating, “Our roots as a purpose-driven company haven’t changed: we’re proud of our role connecting people through food they love,” before asking candidates to “grow your future with us.” 

Celebrate difference

Use inclusive language and diverse images to show your commitment and stance on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). Gen Z and Millennial workers pay close attention to issues like racism in the workplace and were found to value diversity highly as a deciding factor in which companies to work for. In fact, 49% of recruiters report that job seekers are increasingly making inquiries about diversity and inclusion initiatives during the recruitment process.

7. Cross Country Healthcare has nailed it when it comes to highlighting inclusivity. This Instagram job post makes a powerful statement about the company’s commitment to diversity: “Cross Country walks the talk when it comes to diversity. They power-walk it.”

8. HP demonstrated its commitment to DEI in no uncertain terms with a whole series of recruitment videos entitled “Reinvent Mindsets.” The company showcases its stance visually, ending with a statement from its Chief Diversity Officer reaffirming that “HP is hiring, and talent is our only criteria.”

9. Maersk encourages diversity of thought, stating, “Likeminded people think alike, they agree. Different people have different opinions, they typically create a debate, maybe some friction, and this is exactly what is needed to build better products.”

Sell your status quo

If your company is going through a period of change or growth, you can use this to create excitement amongst potential applicants, who may relish the opportunity to join your start-up, scale-up, or re-invigorated, long-established company. This ensures you primarily attract those who are motivated and up for the challenge or thrive in such environments.

10.   Campbell Soup Company sells its status as a well-established, long-running business and household name with this nostalgic and heart-warming video celebrating its history since 1869—and inviting candidates to be part of its future.

11.   Mr Yum’s fast-paced YouTube video starts with announcing its status. It’s just raised $89 million in Series A funds and now it needs you! If working with a company with high-growth potential excites you, then “come and join the team.”

Alternative job titles

Stir up intrigue by remixing mundane job titles or replacing them with something jazzier. A “Wellbeing Warrior” advert might attract more attention than a standard “Health & Safety Lead.” But be mindful that in industries where jobs have fairly standard titles, job seekers may not be looking for any variations and might overlook unusual job titles. You can overcome this by making reference to the standard titles in the listing also so it is clear to job seekers that the roles are the same or similar.

12.  On the Bud Light Twitter, Anheuser-Busch advertised for a “Chief Meme Officer,” which it assured us was a real job, one many might include within a social media manager type of role. Posting it with a rather direct and alternative title attracted a lot of attention, but, more importantly, it elicited responses from those who resonated and could respond accordingly—meme for meme!

13.   Candy Funhouse’s recruitment campaign for a “Chief Candy Officer” was both playful and alternative. Its YouTube video illustrated exactly what the post entails for anyone who may have been bemused by the title. It sets a unique tone for what may have otherwise been a fairly boring job title when the role is anything but!

Boast about your benefits

Benefits are a key point of attraction for today’s talent, and they can set you apart from your competitors. If you offer great benefits, like fun employee incentives or a unique employee rewards system, boast about them on your job posting to attract the best talent.

14.   Salesforce sets the scene with all the awards it’s won. Who wouldn’t be interested in working for a company voted “one of the World’s Best Workplaces” for six consecutive years?

15. In another example, Salesforce shows off that it was also voted “one of the world’s most admired companies” for eight years in a row.

16.   Collective Measures celebrates National Work and Family month by boasting of “flexible scheduling, remote work options, and more benefits” that support its commitment to helping employees find balance between work and family. We hear they also offer “pawternity” leave to new pet owners, further demonstrating that families can come in all forms.

17.   Video communication company mmhmm boasts a reel of benefits such 401k, parental leave, and less common benefits like the following: unlimited PTO; a “turtle crossing” which awards colleagues often spread across the world with $100 any time they cross paths with a coworker; and a vacation bonus of $1000 that goes to a well-deserved vacation after one year with the company.

Be playful

The tone of your adverts can show the personality of your business or of the particular role you’re hiring for. A playful post can also help you to stand out amongst the masses of companies who seem to mistake being boring for being professional.

18.   Verizon capitalized on a seasonal post to lightheartedly invite candidates to apply for positions that “light you up.”

19.   Cultured South lures in applicants with friendly language, focusing less on the role itself and more on “the awesome group of folks” the applicants might work with. This is perfectly playful for candidates who value a more laid-back and fun working environment.

20.  Subfero uses the season to show off the team’s playfulness in a series of fun and decorative images, stating “If this looks like the kind of team you’d like to be a part of, head over to our website on the link below to see our latest vacancies. I promise we don’t bite.”

Conclusion

Social media is a great tool for employer branding. It allows organizations to connect with people in a more friendly way and gives greater reach, allowing job postings to be seen by talent your business may not have otherwise encountered. 

Posting “we’re hiring” posts on relevant social media platforms is a cost-effective and powerful way to attract candidates to apply for jobs with your organization. These posts need to be creative and engaging to stand out from the crowd and set your company apart from its competitors. Take the time to refresh your recruitment strategy and ensure social media plays a part with some of these creative and catchy ideas.

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