Creating a personal or agency social media profile and posting a message is a relatively intuitive and easy process.  However, optimizing the use of social media as part of an effective job recruitment strategy is more challenging.  For instance, carefully choosing agency or job descriptions and knowing how many characters are displayed in search engine results before giving way to the “more..” link is important. 

An increasingly popular method for optimizing job announcements via social media, absent a dedicated staff member, is to use a third party such as a job board which specializes in utilizing social media or contracting with an independent social media consultant.  The former choice is often more economical as the services are included in the job posting fee, or in some cases a modest supplemental fee may apply where enhanced services are desired. 

Optimization begins with selecting which social media sites to use based on such factors as:

1. Popularity / exposure
2. Member and visitor demographics
3. Usage statistics: page visits; click-throughs; time spent per visit
4. Site emphasis, attitudes and image
5. Networking strength (ability for viral activity)
6. Content capacity: characters; images; video, interactivity
7. Potential for branding
8. Features: linkage; history; storage
9. Privacy and security 

Internet and social media sites depend on keywords and hashtags to generate interest and drive traffic.  Knowing which of these are most effective, in the context of evolving trends, is an emerging and fluid science and is critically important to obtain desired results. The rule of thumb is that these words or phrases should be simple, memorable, intriguing and relevant to your brand or job.  To the extent that the words and tags are unique they are not as likely to be swallowed up in a sea of similar or irrelevant terms. This may not be as easy as it sounds when applying to certain positions. Try “Solid Waste Engineer” or “Weights and Measures Examiner” 

Nuances in optimizing social media use extend to knowing the best days and times to post ads for maximum viewing, which can vary by the site and their audience.

The best way to optimize your social media job listing exposure is to have a robust and expansive online (internet and social media) presence.  The best “buzz” comes from sharing practical useful information, new and innovative ideas, and newsworthy organizational updates.  Each of these categories builds positive brand recognition, elevates your industry standing and cultivates familiarity and interest.  When opportunities are posted to join your team candidate response is likely to be serious interest and strong motivation rather than passing curiosity.