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Facebook is More Than a Waste of Time

When Jason & Tricia first started training recruiters in 2009, their students would ask them for advice on how to best leverage Facebook on their recruiting desk. Their advice was to delete it. It was a time suck and added no value. Get on the phone and close deals.

Then in 2013, Facebook launched Graph Search and it was incredible!

We could manipulate the URLs and identify the exact candidate we wanted, and we could be creepy specific. For example, if we wanted, we could identify the following person: 

A software engineer working for Facebook who was male, between the ages of 25 and 31, single, Christian, living in San Francisco and fluent in Spanish.

Seriously. It was unbelievable. We made so much money from those placements.

Then, in early 2019, Zuckerburg was testifying in front of Congress and Facebook decided there was too much information available about people and he wanted to protect the user’s privacy. (Even after the change, Jason devised some tricks which worked. For a while.)

In many cases, Facebook has gone back to being helpful, but in a completely different way. By early 2022, Facebook had nearly 2 billion daily active users, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. This impressive growth continued, with the platform reaching 2 billion daily active users by the end of the year. This steady 4% annual growth underscores Facebook’s expansive and consistent reach, making it an invaluable platform for connecting with diverse audiences worldwide.

As of July 2024, Facebook has achieved significant milestones:

  • Global Reach: The platform boasts 3.07 billion monthly active users, representing 37.7% of the world’s population and 57% of all internet users.

  • Daily Engagement: Approximately 2.11 billion users engage with Facebook daily, indicating a strong and consistent user base.

  • Demographic Insights: In the United States, 24.2% of users are aged 25 to 34, making it the largest age group on the platform.

  • Advertising Revenue: In Q2 2024, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, reported a 22% year-over-year increase in revenue, totaling $39.07 billion, highlighting the platform’s robust advertising ecosystem.

These statistics underscore Facebook’s expansive reach and its continued relevance as a platform for user engagement and advertising.

There are several ways we think Facebook can help you as a recruiter.

The first thing to do is join some recruiting groups on Facebook. Here are Tricia’s top three:

Speaking of groups, if you’re a recruiter, you should be in groups where your candidates and your clients gather. Go into the groups and give a ton of value. Don’t pitch your services. Learn about your industry and issues your people face. Don’t be a spammer, and you can source the members.

Better still, start the group yourself. Go live. Give advice. People won’t pay attention in the beginning, but give it time and post every day. Create a Community now and you’ll be rewarded later.

Facebook ads are mighty cheap, and while they get more expensive when targeted – getting to people in an exact location with exact interest is possible. Post ads in the newsfeed and go after candidates. We’ve made a number of placements this way. It might be the very best way to post an ad in our industry.

While there are still ways to source on Facebook, think bigger.. With Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media it’s important to remember your influence is largely a measure of your impact on others. If you’re social and helpful, you’ll be a recruiter people want to hire. 

Here are some other creative ideas:

  • Tap into Niche Talent Pools: Join specialized Facebook groups to connect with candidates who have targeted skills and industry expertise.

  • Establish Authority with Content: Regularly post informative content and career advice to build credibility and attract job seekers.

  • Leverage Facebook’s Recruitment Tools: Utilize the platform’s job board and recruiting features to share openings and gather applications seamlessly.

  • Engage Through Live Sessions: Host live Q&A sessions or webinars to interact with potential candidates and answer job-related questions.

  • Analyze Engagement Data: Monitor performance metrics to refine your approach and ensure your recruitment efforts resonate with your audience.

  • Promote Networking Events: Use Facebook’s event feature to organize networking events that attract active job seekers and professionals.

  • Cultivate an Online Community: Build an engaged community that values your insights and turns to you as a trusted resource for opportunities.